Background-Prior trials suggest it is safe to defer transfusion at hemoglobin levels above 7-8 g/dL in most patients. Patients with acute coronary syndrome may benefit from higher hemoglobin levels.

the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) Study GroupBackground-The Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial in 2368 patients with stable ischemic heart disease assigned before randomization to percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting strata reported similar 5-year all-cause mortality rates with insulin sensitization versus insulin provision therapy and with a strategy of prompt initial coronary revascularization and intensive medical therapy or intensive medical therapy alone with revascularization reserved for clinical indication(s). In this report, we examine the predefined secondary end points of cardiac death and myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and Results-Outcome data were analyzed by intention to treat; the Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess 5-year event rates. Nominal P values are presented. During an average 5.3-year follow-up, there were 316 deaths (43% were attributed to cardiac causes) and 279 first MI events. Five-year cardiac mortality did not differ between revascularization plus intensive medical therapy (5.9%) and intensive medical therapy alone groups (5.7%; Pϭ0.38) or between insulin sensitization (5.7%) and insulin provision therapy (6%; Pϭ0.76). In the coronary artery bypass grafting stratum (nϭ763), MI events were significantly less frequent in revascularization plus intensive medical therapy versus intensive medical therapy alone groups (10.0% versus 17.6%; Pϭ0.003), and the composite end points of all-cause death or MI (21.1% versus 29.2%; Pϭ0.010) and cardiac death or MI (Pϭ0.03) were also less frequent. Reduction in MI (Pϭ0.001) and cardiac death/MI (Pϭ0.002) was significant only in the insulin sensitization group. Conclusions-In many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and stable ischemic coronary disease in whom angina symptoms are controlled, similar to those enrolled in the percutaneous coronary intervention stratum, intensive medical therapy alone should be the first-line strategy. In patients with more extensive coronary disease, similar to those enrolled in the coronary artery bypass grafting stratum, prompt coronary artery bypass grafting, in the absence of contraindications, intensive medical therapy, and an insulin sensitization strategy appears to be a preferred therapeutic strategy to reduce the incidence of MI. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00006305.