Retaplase plus abciximab improves non-fatal outcomes, but not overall survival in people with diabetes and acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Question. In people with diabetes and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, is half-dose reteplase plus abciximab more effective than reteplase alone? Study design. Secondary analysis of multicentre randomised controlled trial. Main results. For mortality at 30 days or 1 year, there was no significant difference between groups (see Table 1). Reteplase plus abciximab significantly reduced the risk of reinfarction, or recurrent ischaemia or angina compared with reteplase alone. A table is presented. Authors' conclusions. Although treatment with reteplase plus abciximab did not provide a survival benefit for people with diabetes and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction compared with reteplase alone, nonfatal outcomes including reinfarction and recurrent ischaemia were substantially reduced.