BACKGROUND: Vascular complications (VC) following per-cutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. However, available data do not reflect current interventional cardiology practice. OBJECTIVE: To determinate the incidence of VC and its predictors in a population treated with PCI in contemporary practice. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with coronary stent implantation conducted from January/2000 to De-cember/2007. Clinical and angiographic characteristics, as well as in-hospital evolution, were evaluated and recorded in a database. Exclusion criteria included in-hospital death and urgent heart surgery. VC were defined as major bleeding, vascular surgery or hematoma > 10 cm. Data were analyzed using SPSS 11.0 and the characteristics of patients with and without VC were compared using the Student's t test and chi-square test. Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis was performed to determinate the independent predictors of VC. RESULTS: A total of 4,595 patients with 5,485 stents were included in this analysis. Mean age was 60.64 ± 10.65 years and 32% of the patients were female. The transfemoral approach was used in 95% of the PCIs and the transradial approach in 5%. Six French and 7 French introducers were used in 85% and 15% of the PCIs, respectively. A total of 162 (3.3%) patients experienced VC. The multivariate analysis determined that the only predictor for VC was the use of 7 French introducers (odds ratio = 3.05, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-7.8; p = 0.02). By the Hosmer-Lemeshow-goodness-of-fit test, the model used demonstrated good calibration for sample analyzed (chi-square = 6.9; p = 0.55). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of VC was low and its only predictor was the diameter of the arterial introducer.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography; Heart catheterization; Vascular diseases; Risk factors
