Background: We sought to compare the efficacy of tirofiban and abciximab on platelet inhibition as well as their effects of platelet inhibition on C-reactive protein levels during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods: Using a randomized, double-blind study design, 95 consecutively eligible patients were randomized to receive either tirofiban or abciximab before undergoing native coronary artery revascularization with a stent. Clinical endpoints were death, nonfatal MI, target vessel revascularization (TVR) with coronary artery bypass grafting or PCI within 30 days of the study procedure. The medications were compared for differences in platelet aggregation as measured by a rapid function platelet assay, as well as measurements of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) at frequent intervals following drug administration during PCI.
Results: A total of 95 patients were randomized to abciximab (n = 44) or tirofiban (n= 51). There was no significant difference in platelet aggregation documented throughout the procedure (10-, 20-, 30-, 45-minute time points). In diabetic patients abciximab had significantly lower platelet inhibition as compared to tirofiban at 10 minutes (84.17 +/- 8.28% vs. 90.40 +/- 5.79%; p = 0.0097). Using a Spearman correlation coefficient model, hs-CRP demonstrated an inverse relationship with platelet inhibition over time (-0.7307, p = 0.0002) in patients treated with abciximab.
Conclusion: There is no major difference in platelet inhibition between tirofiban and abciximab during PCI. In this study, tirofiban showed a greater inhibition in diabetic subsets at the first time point within PCI. Platelet inhibition may be inversely related to the levels of CRP during PCI.