What the trial was testing
The ISCHEMIA-CKD enrolled 777 patients with coronary artery disease. The study was sponsored by NYU Langone Health and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was long-term safety (phase 4). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Heart surgery showed no benefit over medication alone in patients with advanced kidney disease and blocked arteries.
The New England journal of medicine · 2020 · NCT01985360
These findings — that surgery and medication-only groups had virtually identical rates of death or heart attack — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 777 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with coronary artery disease, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
If you have advanced kidney disease and stable heart disease, medication alone may be as effective as surgery or stents. The trial found surgery increased stroke risk without reducing heart attacks or death. Talk to your cardiologist and kidney doctor about the best treatment plan for your situation.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open coronary artery disease trials
Impact of Procedural Factors on Drug-Coated Balloon Outcomes in Coronary Artery Disease
This registry aimed to investigate drug-coated balloon procedural factors (particularly delivery time and inflation duration) to evaluate the impact on angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for de novo coronary lesions.
Brazilian Prospective Registry of the Inspiron EVO Drug-Eluting Stent in Complex Coronary Lesions
The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Inspiron™ EVO drug-eluting stent in complex coronary lesions in a real-world population. Patients with symptomatic ischemic heart disease due to lesions in native coronary arteries and restenotic lesions will be treated with the Inspiron™ EVO drug-eluting stent.