Background: Data on the health status benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs), a principal indication for the procedure, are lacking.
Methods and results: In the FlowCardia Approach to CTO Recanalization (FACTOR) trial, patients (n=125) completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) at baseline and 1 month after percutaneous coronary intervenion. One-month health status outcomes were compared by multivariable analysis, adjusting for group differences between those whose CTO was successfully and unsuccessfully recanalized. These changes were also analyzed according to baseline symptoms. Procedural success was 55% (n=64) and independently associated with angina relief (difference between those with successful and unsuccessful percutaneous coronary intervention [Delta] in SAQ angina frequency=9.5 points; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 17.5; P=0.019), improved physical function (Delta in SAQ physical limitation=13.1 points; 95% confidence interval, 5.1 to 21.1; P=0.001), and enhanced quality of life (Delta in SAQ quality of life [QoL]=20.3 points; 95% confidence interval, 11.9 to 28.6; P<0.001). The benefit of successful percutaneous coronary intervention was greatest in symptomatic patients as compared with asymptomatic patients although statistically significantly so only for QoL (DeltaSAQ angina frequency domain=10.3 versus 4.3 points, P=0.51, Deltaphysical limitation =15.9 versus 6.3 points, P=0.25; DeltaQoL=27.3 versus 8.5 points, P=0.047).
Conclusions: Successful CTO recanalization is associated with significant early improvements in patient symptoms, function, and QoL but only among symptomatic patients. Percutaneous treatment of a CTO offers the potential to provide significant health status benefits in symptomatic patients.