Efficacy and safety of instantaneous wave-free ratio in patients undergoing coronary revascularisation: protocol for...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Interventional Cardiology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Accurate selection of coronary lesions for revascularisation is crucial for managing symptoms and improving outcomes in coronary artery disease patients.
• The instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) is a novel index for assessing coronary stenosis severity without requiring pharmacological vasodilation.
• Emerging evidence supports the effectiveness of iFR-guided revascularisation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a systematic review of randomised controlled trials and controlled observational studies on iFR-guided coronary revascularisation.
• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical effectiveness of iFR compared to other methods in guiding revascularisation decisions.
• To synthesize current evidence regarding the impact of iFR on patient outcomes and resource utilization.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane) and ClinicalTrials.gov for relevant studies.
• Inclusion of randomised controlled trials and controlled observational studies adhering to predefined eligibility criteria.
• Data extraction by two independent reviewers, risk of bias assessment using validated tools, and meta-analysis using Review Manager software, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.

Main Results:

• This section will present the synthesized findings from the included studies.
• Quantitative and qualitative analyses will be performed to assess the efficacy and safety of iFR-guided revascularisation.
• Results will be presented in accordance with the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews.

Conclusions:

• The systematic review will provide a comprehensive assessment of the evidence for iFR-guided coronary revascularisation.
• Findings will inform clinical practice guidelines and future research directions in interventional cardiology.
• The review aims to clarify the role of iFR in optimising patient selection for revascularisation procedures.