China Tongxinluo Study for myocardial protection in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (CTS-AMI): Rationale and design of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial.

Fuwai Hospital, National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. Peking University Clinical Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China. Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. Fuwai Hospital, National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. Electronic address: yangyjfw@126.com.

American heart journal. 2020;:47-55

Abstract

Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains a serious life-threatening event. Despite coronary revascularization, patients might still suffer from poor outcomes caused by myocardial no-reflow and ischemic/reperfusion injury. Tongxinluo (TXL), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been preliminarily demonstrated to reduce myocardial no-reflow and ischemic/reperfusion injury. We further hypothesize that TXL treatment is also effective in reducing clinical end points for the patients with STEMI. METHODS AND RESULTS The CTS-AMI trial is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical study in China. An estimated 3,796 eligible patients with STEMI from about 120 centers are randomized 1:1 ratio to TXL or placebo groups. All enrolled patients are orally administrated a loading dose of 8 capsules of TXL or placebo together with dual antiplatelet agents on admission followed by 4 capsules 3 times a day until 12 months. The primary end point is 30-day major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial reinfarction, emergency coronary revascularization, and stroke. Secondary end points include each component of the primary end point, 1-year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, and other efficacy and safety parameters. CONCLUSIONS Results of CTS-AMI trial will determine the clinical efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine TXL capsule in the treatment of STEMI patients in the reperfusion era.