OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of low dose recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis with primary coronary stenting after acute myocardial infarction.

METHODSOf 261 patients with first acute myocardial infarction, 131 were given low dose rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis, and 130 primary coronary stenting.

RESULTSThe age, time from onset of chest pain to hospital presentation and infarct location between these two groups were comparable. The patency rate of the infarct-related artery (IRA) in patients in the thrombolysis group was significantly lower than that of patients in the primary stenting group (P < 0.001). Recurrent myocardial infarction, and selective coronary stenting of patients with thrombolytic therapy were higher than that of patients in the primary stenting group (7.6% vs 1.5%, P < 0.05; 20.6% vs 0, P < 0.001, respectively). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients in the thrombolysis group was lower than that of the stent group (55.6% +/- 13.4% vs 65.8% +/- 9.2%, P < 0.001). Total hospitalization time of the thrombolysis group was longer than that of the stent group (16 +/- 7 d vs 11 +/- 4 d, P < 0.001). Mortality in the thrombolysis group was higher than that of the stent group, but this difference was not significant (6.1% vs 3.1%, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONComparing with low dose rt-PA thrombolytic therapy after acute myocardial infarction, primary coronary stenting has a higher patency rate of the IRA, better cardiac function and shorter hospitalization time.