The SYNTAX Score has been developed in this study to prospectively characterize the coronary anatomy with respect to the number of lesions and their functional impact, location, and complexity. Importantly, the SYNTAX Score relates to the coronary anatomy prior to randomization and is not influenced by the planned revascularisation strategy (CABG or PCI).

Higher SYNTAX scores, indicative of a more complex condition, are likely to represent a bigger therapeutic challenge and to have a potentially worse prognosis. We anticipate that a cut-off SYNTAX Score may determine the optimum treatment option.

A unique feature of the SYNTAX Score is that the ‘raw’ score determined before revascularisation will be ‘weighed’ once the results of the primary end point have been determined after one and five years. Thus, the weighed SYNTAX Score will reflect the actual outcome of the trial.
We anticipate that the weighed SYNTAX Score will become a valuable tool in patient assessment and will compliment the EUROSCORE presently used to assess risk in surgical patients.

The SYNTAX score design article is published in EuroIntervention (EuroInterv.2005;1:219-227).