HEAT-PPCI: fair criticism or resistance to change?

摘要

The late breaking clinical trials sessions often represent the highlight of each of the major Cardiology meetings. It is here that for the first time much anticipated results of large and potentially practice-changing clinical trials are first released. These sessions are widely covered in the medical press and generate much debate. However, the recent presentation of the HEAT-PPCI trial during a late breaking clinical trial session at the 2014 ACC meeting generated more controversy than any in recent memory. The furore generated brought into question possible conflicts of interests of the chairing panelists and accusations of bullying toward the fellow who presented the trial. The reason for the storm generated was based on several unique aspects of the study design but also the (largely unfounded) belief that the results were in conflict with other randomized data in the same area.