Change in pulse pressure and cardiovascular outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention: The CLIDAS study

Background Limited data exist on the prognostic value of changes in pulse pressure (PP, the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure) during hospitalization for patients with coronary artery disease who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods In the Clinical Deep Data Accumulation System (CLIDAS), we studied 8,708 patients who underwent PCI. We aimed to examine the association between discharge PP and cardiovascular outcomes. PP was measured before PCI and at discharge. Patients were divided into five groups (quintiles) based on the change in PPQ1 (−18.0 ± 9.9 mmHg), Q2 (−3.8 ± 2.6), Q3 (reference; 3.7 ± 2.0), Q4 (11.3 ± 2.6), and Q5 (27.5 ± 11.2). We then analyzed the relationship between PP change and outcomes. Results The mean patient age was 70 ± 11 years, with 6,851 (78 %) men and 3,786 (43 %) having acute coronary syndrome. U-shaped relationships were observed for the incidence rates of major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE, a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke), revascularization, and hospitalization for heart failure (HF). After adjusting for confounding factors, higher PP at discharge was associated with an increased risk of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio 1.41; 95 %CI, 1.06–1.87 in Q5 [73.9 ± 9.3 mmHg]). Evaluating PP change revealed a U-shaped association with MACCE (1.50; 1.11–2.02 in Q1 and 1.47; 0.98–2.20 in Q5). Additionally, Q5 had a higher risk for hospitalization for HF (1.37; 1.00–1.88). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a U-shaped association between changes in PP and cardiovascular outcomes. This data suggests the significance of blood pressure control during hospitalization for patients who have undergone PCI.