Commentary: The left main controversy: Is this a real subgroup requiring custom clinical recommendations?

For 3  decades, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been the standard of care for patients with left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCAS), a practice based on trials that showed improved survival compared with medical management.1 The Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial was the first large trial to compare percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with CABG in the treatment of coronary artery disease.2 The SYNTAX protocol included a prespecified exploratory analysis in the subgroup of patients with LMCAS that was underpowered for t he primary composite end point of all-cause mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization.
Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research