Missed opportunity for fibrinolysis in ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction:
the nationwide France-PCI registry
ESC : European Heart Journal - Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes (2026) 00, 1–10
https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjqcco/qcag041
Conclusions
In this nationwide STEMI cohort, PPCI beyond 120 min remained frequent while fibrinolysis use declined 3.8-fold. Among delayed PCI cases, 55.6% met strict fibrinolysis eligibility in the prespecified ≤3 h from symptom-onset subgroup.One-year mortality followed a time-dependent gradient—lowest with PCI ≤120 min, intermediate after fibrinolysis, highest with delayed PCI—underscoring that time to reperfusion, notdefault modality, drives outcomes. System levers are clear (EMSfirst contact, pre-hospital ECG with cath-lab pre-activation,streamlined transfers). A time-dependent rule at FMC, supported by reliable prediction of travel time and routine audit of FMC-to-device and the opportunity gap, can guide pathway selection: PCI if ≤120 min is feasible; otherwise fibrinolysis as early as possible (within 12 h of symptom onset) in eligible patients, followed by planned angiography. These findings provide an audit-ready framework for monitoring and improving reperfusion quality in STEMI networks