The study (TAPAS) found that most acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with ST-segment elevation achieved better reperfusion and clinical outcomes when receiving thrombus aspiration before standard acute myocardial infarction (PCI), regardless of their clinical and angiographic characteristics at baseline.
Researchers were randomly assigned 1,071 AMI patients with ST-segment elevation to thrombus aspiration using the Export Aspiration Catheter or to conventional PCI prior to coronary angiography. The Export group had 35% fewer patients than the conventional PCI group exhibiting angiographic signs of poor blood flow to the heart muscle. In addition, 28% more patients in the Export group had resolution of ST-segment elevation compared to the conventional PCI group.
Importantly, the study showed a reduction in death and major adverse cardiac events in patients that exhibited angiographic signs of improved blood flow to the heart muscle and resolution of ST-segment elevation.