Abbott Initiates Groundbreaking Study to Treat Coronary Artery Disease

Abbott has initiated a clinical trial evaluating long-term outcomes of patients who undergo stent implantation guided by high-resolution light-based imaging technology – called optical coherence tomography (OCT) – compared to a common X-ray-guided technique called angiography. The trial (ILUMIEN IV) is the first large-scale randomized global study using Abbott’s OCT imaging in patients with high-risk, complex coronary artery disease. Patients in the study will be randomized to either OCT-guided or traditional angiography to guide placement of one or more XIENCE everolimus-eluting coronary stents.

The ILUMIEN IV trial will enroll up to 3650 patients with high-risk, complex disease at 125 centers in North America, Europe, and Asia to determine if OCT-guided stent procedures result in larger vessel diameters – thus, allowing increased blood flow – and whether this will improve clinical outcomes for patients compared to stent procedures guided by angiography. Patients with complex disease may have multiple, or totally blocked arteries, or other diseases such as diabetes; and these patients account for an increasing number of cases.

Today, most of the world uses angiography for stent implantation using a two-dimensional view of the coronary artery to assess a complex three-dimensional structure. Physicians need new technology to help optimize percutaneous coronary intervention, and OCT provides just that, the ability to look at the artery from the outside-in and the inside-out. This technology will have a positive impact on clinical practice around the world and we hope to provide evidence for leading medical organizations to update clinical guidelines for stent implantation based on the results of this study.