Part I (Pilot Phase): The purpose of this study is to examine if formalized data assessment and systematic feedback improves treatment times (i.e. contact-to-balloon time and door-to-balloon time) in patients with myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (STEMI).

Part II (Implementation Phase): The Purpose is to prospectively investigate if survival can be improved by stringent use of this concept of formalized data analysis and systematic feedback of procedural and clinical data to all participating physicians and other members of the STEMI patients treating personnel.

Part III (Advance Phase): The purpose is to develop, introduce and evaluate prospectively an automated, highly standardized feedback tool informing participating centers on key performance characteristics (procedural and clinical outcomes).

For many patients with myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (STEMI), the time from presentation to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) exceeds established goals. Formalized data feedback is one strategy proposed to reduce treatment time in STEMI-patients. The aim of this multicenter study is to evaluate whether systematic data analysis and feedback leads to shorter contact-to-balloon and door-to-balloon times and reduces mortality in different regional care networks serving patients with STEMI. The multicenter trial includes hospitals with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) capacity. Existing protocols encourage prompt transfer of patients with STEMI to the PCI center and emphasize minimizing time to treatment. In each participating center, all patients presenting with STEMI are enrolled. The study is conducted prospectively during five consecutive 3-month periods (quarters). Data collection is web-based and identical for the five quarters. For each center, time points from initial contact with the medical system to revascularization are assessed, analyzed and presented in an interactive session to hospital and emergency services staff. This formalized data feedback is performed at the end of each quarter.

The multi-phase FITT-STEMI project is structured as follows:

Part I (Pilot Phase)

Patients presenting during the first three-month period are included as the reference group. Data from patients with STEMI presenting during the next four quarters are presented in the same manner. Comparisons between the reference group and the next quarters will be made with the Gehan and Pearson χ2 tests.

Part II (Implementation Phase)

Following the Pilot Phase started as feasibility study including a group of 6 different hospital systems of STEMI care, the multicenter FITT-STEMI-Implementation-Phase was started to investigate the effect of standardized documentation, analysis and systematic feedback-intervention on prognosis within a large group of different hospitals capable of primary PCI. This study is performed over 6 quarters including 3 feedback-sessions, and so far, 46 different PCI-hospitals capable of primary PCI participate at the FITT-STEMI-implementation-phase.

Following the initial study period with quarterly feedback-sessions, data collection is continued, and in all of these hospitals feedback-sessions with the EMS- and hospital-staff are held once a year (after quarters 8, 12, 16, and so on).

Participating hospitals So far, a total of 53 hospital-systems with primary PCI capacity and cooperating non-PCI-hospitals participate at the FITT-STEMI-program. At the PCI-Centers, 24 h PCI capability existing for at least one year prior to inclusion, at least two interventional cardiologists who could take call, and a volume of at least 250 PCI procedures as well as 50 PCI procedures in STEMI patients per year are required for participation at the project. All 6 key strategies of the ACC D2B-initiative (Bradley EH, NEJ 2006) were endorsed by the hospitals before participating in the project. All hospitals ensured prompt transfer of patients with STEMI to the PCI centers minimizing time to treatment.

The overall geographic catchment area currently serves a population of more than 10 million people in Germany with more than 5,500 STEMI patients per year, which is consistent with > 10 % of the German population and with > 10% of the patients treated with acute STEMI in German hospitals per year. Estimated Enrollment: 50,000 participants (Phases I and II).

Part III (Advance Phase)

This phase of the multi-phase FITT-STEMI aims to develop, introduce and evaluate prospectively an automated, highly standardized feedback tool informing participating centers on key performance characteristics (procedural and clinical outcomes). A stepped wedge design with baseline phase will be used. The participating (newly recruited or already established) centres will be randomly allocated to switching over from the implemented feedback form to the new automated, highly standardized feedback tool; the switch-over process is staggered over time. Estimated Enrollment: 60,000 participants (Phases I - III).

Inclusion Criteria:

• all patients who received a diagnosis of STEMI* and were transported to the cardiac catheterization laboratory of the primary PCI center with the intention to perform primary PCI.

  • STEMI definition:

• elevation of the ST-segments of greater than or equal to 0.1 mV in at least two contiguous limb- or precordial leads

• new or presumable new left bundle branch block in the presence of typical symptoms

Exclusion Criteria:

• STEMI-patients with duration of infarct-related symptoms longer than 24 hours are excluded