Rationale and design of the ETN-STEP (Early administration of Tirofiban in mid to high risk patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome referred for percutaneous coronary intervention) project: A multi-center, randomized, controlled clinic trial in Chinese patients

As a member of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) inhibitors, Tirofiban had been shown to improve myocardial reperfusion and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but the optimal timing of administration of Tirofiban remains unclear. In order to compare the effects of upstream versus downstream administration of Tirofiban in Chinese patients with mid to high risk, non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS) referred for PCI, a multicenter, randomized, controlled, prospective study will be conducted. A total of 500 mid to high risk, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) ACS patients will be recruited for this study. Patients will be randomized to Tirofiban upstream administration group (initiated 12 h before PCI) and Tirofiban downstream administration group (initiated at cath-lab after angiography). Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grades, TIMI myocardial perfusion grades (TMPG), and Corrected TIMI frame counting (CTFC) before and after PCI, as well as clinical outcomes during the hospital stay, and within 30 days after PCI will be compared between the two groups. This study will provide evidence on the optimal timing for initiating administration of Tirofiban in mid to high NSTEMI ACS subjects undergoing PCI.