Table 1:
Characteristics of patients, physicians and hospitals in which index cardiac catheterizations were performed between April 2006 and March 2007, by category of hospital PCI:CABG ratio*
| Characteristic | Category of hospital PCI:CABG ratio; % of patients† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (< 2.0) | Low–medium (2.0–2.7) | Medium–high (2.8–3.2) | High (> 3.2) | |
| Patient | ||||
| No. of patients | 1641 | 2659 | 2833 | 1839 |
| Age, yr, mean (SD) | 65 (11) | 64 (11) | 64 (12) | 64 (12) |
| Female sex | 34 | 36 | 36 | 34 |
| Cardiac history and risk factors | ||||
| Previous PCI | 12 | 12 | 13 | 18 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 31 | 29 | 26 | 29 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 72 | 69 | 63 | 65 |
| Hypertension | 70 | 69 | 63 | 67 |
| Smoking | 59 | 60 | 48 | 52 |
| Coronary anatomy, % | ||||
| Normal | 19 | 18 | 25 | 20 |
| Mild disease‡ | 9 | 16 | 7 | 7 |
| Severe stenosis§ | ||||
| 1 vessel | 26 | 25 | 25 | 29 |
| 2 vessels | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 |
| 3 vessels | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Left main artery | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Prior CABG | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Clinical indication for catheterization | ||||
| Elective stable coronary artery disease | 40 | 38 | 56 | 43 |
| Unstable angina | 28 | 32 | 18 | 29 |
| Non-ST-segment elevation MI | 20 | 20 | 16 | 15 |
| Non-emergent ST-segment elevation MI | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Emergent ST-segment elevation MI | 5 | 6 | 9 | 13 |
| Physician¶ | ||||
| Interventional cardiologist | 39 | 51 | 43 | 44 |
| Non-interventional cardiologist | 60 | 49 | 49 | 56 |
| Hospital | ||||
| Centre performing PCI or CABG, or both | 66 | 88 | 87 | 93 |
| Centre performing catheterization only | 34 | 12 | 13 | 7 |
| Treatment received < 90 d after catheterization | ||||
| Medical | 54 | 52 | 52 | 46 |
| PCI | 28 | 34 | 36 | 44 |
| CABG | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Overall PCI:CABG ratio, mean | 1.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 4.6 |
Note: CABG = coronary artery bypass graft, MI = myocardial infarction, PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention, SD = standard deviation.
Hospitals were classified into four ratio categories such that there were similar numbers of hospitals (four or five) in each category.
Unless stated otherwise. The percentages in the physician and hospital sections represent the proportions of patients who underwent catheterization by the indicated type of cardiologist or hospital.
Stenosis < 70% in one or more major epicardial vessels or side branches, or < 50% in left main coronary artery.
Blockage above thresholds described for mild disease.
Data not available for all patients.