Does manual thrombus aspiration help optimize stent implantation in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction?

Table 2 Procedural data and angiographic results n (%)

Characteristics	Thrombus aspiration	Conventional PCI	P value
	n = 156	n =300
Time to treatment, median (IQR)	273 (170-477)	300 (180-480)	0.610
Initial TIMI flow			< 0.001
0	111 (71.2)	143 (48.8)
1	9 (5.8)	16 (5.5)
2	16 (10.3)	38 (13)
3	20 (12.8)	96 (32.8)
Initial TIMI flow < 3	136 (87.2)	204 (67.2)	< 0.001
Final TIMI flow			0.140
0	2 (1.3)	9 (3.1)
1	1 (0.6)	6 (2.1)
2	19 (12.3)	50 (17.1)
3	133 (85.8)	227 (77.7)
Final TIMI flow < 3	22 (14.1)	65 (21.7)	0.040
Angiographic complication			0.450
Non-reflow	6 (3.8)	16 (5.4)
Thrombus embolization	7 (4.5)	22 (7.4)
Coronary dissection	2 (1.3)	7 (2.4)
Angiographic success	123 (78.8)	200 (68)	0.015
Direct stenting	88 (58.7)	131 (45.5)	0.009
Type of stent			0.008
BMS	133 (88.7)	238 (79.3)
DES	17 (11.3)	62 (20.7)
Length of stented segment (mm), mean ± SD	24.1 ± 11.8	26.9 ± 15.7	0.038
Diameter of stented segment (mm), mean ± SD	3.17 ± 0.43	2.93 ± 0.44	< 0.001
Number of stents, mean ± SD	1.3 ± 0.67	1.5 ± 0.84	0.009
LVEF, mean ± SD	49.6 ± 9.8	49 ± 10.4	0.610

PCI: Percutaneous coronary intervention; IQR: Interquartile range; TIMI: Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction; BMS: Bare metal stents; DES: Drug-eluting stents; LVEF: Left ventricle ejection fraction.