[Percutaneous coronary intervention in eastern urban China: 2001-2011]

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Interventional Cardiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a key treatment for coronary artery disease.
• Understanding trends in PCI utilization and outcomes is crucial for healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes for patients undergoing PCI in urban China between 2001 and 2011.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a representative sample of 3,308 hospital admissions for PCI across 29 urban hospitals in eastern China.
• Utilized a two-stage random sampling design and weighted data for annual trend analysis.

Main Results:

• PCI hospitalizations increased 15-fold; patients were more likely to be older, female, and have comorbidities in 2011 compared to 2001.
• Transradial PCI and drug-eluting stent (DES) use dramatically increased, with domestic DES adoption rising.
• In-hospital mortality showed no significant change, but bleeding events (any and access-site) significantly decreased.

Conclusions:

• PCI utilization surged in eastern urban China from 2001-2011, accompanied by substantial shifts in treatment patterns.
• Despite improvements in safety outcomes like reduced bleeding, quality gaps in documentation (e.g., door-to-balloon times) highlight areas for further care enhancement.