Cost-effectiveness battle: FFR vs. iFR in DEFINE-FLAIR trial
REPORTING FROM ACC 2018
Dr. Patel estimated that, worldwide, coronary physiology assessment is used in cardiac catheterization laboratories in fewer than 20% of patients. Achieving a substantial increase in that number is a matter of physician education perhaps coupled with payer requirements that interventional cardiologists must demonstrate evidence of ischemia before performing percutaneous coronary intervention on a given coronary lesion. Also, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, which at present give a Class IIa recommendation for the use of FFR in patients with an intermediate stenosis, probably need to be revisited in light of DEFINE-FLAIR.
“One might argue that the recommendation could be a little stronger. And we have other proven technologies now besides FFR,” he observed.
Dr. Patel reported receiving research grants from Philips Volcano, sponsor of the DEFINE-FLAIR trial, as well as from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Janssen, ProCyrion, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. He serves as a consultant to AstraZeneca, Bayer, Janssen, and Medscape.
SOURCE: Patel MR et al. ACC 18, Abstract 402-09.
