PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Camille Brasselet AU - Sophie Tassan AU - Pierre Nazeyrollas AU - Martial Hamon AU - Damien Metz TI - Randomised comparison of femoral versus radial approach for percutaneous coronary intervention using abciximab in acute myocardial infarction: results of the FARMI Trial AID - 10.1136/hrt.2007.117309 DP - 2007 Dec 01 TA - Heart PG - 1556--1561 VI - 93 IP - 12 4099 - http://heart.bmj.com/content/93/12/1556.short 4100 - http://heart.bmj.com/content/93/12/1556.full SO - Heart2007 Dec 01; 93 AB - Objective: To compare bleeding complications and results of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between patients treated by radial and femoral approaches for acute myocardial infarction (AMI,) and using abciximab and 5 French guiding-catheters.Patients: 114 consecutive patients with AMI were prospectively randomised. Exclusion criteria were a history of coronary artery bypass graft, cardiogenic shock, atrioventricular block, and contraindication to abciximab or a negative Allen test. Local haemostasis was achieved by manual compression.Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. Peripheral arterial complication rates and delays to patient ambulation were significantly lower in the radial group than in the femoral group, whereas in-hospital stay was similar between the two groups. A cross over was more often necessary in the radial group than in the femoral group. Coronary angiography duration and fluoroscopy time were significantly longer in the radial group than in the femoral group, whereas PCI duration was similar in both groups.Conclusions: The FARMI trial showed that the radial route lowered peripheral arterial complication rates and allowed earlier ambulation, despite no significant benefit on the duration of hospitalisation.