Randomised comparison of implantation of heparin-coated stents with balloon angioplasty in selected patients with coronary artery disease (Benestent II)

Influence of the angiotensin converting enzyme insertion or deletion genetic variant and coronary restenosis risk: evidence based on 11,193 subjects

The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene encoding angiotensin converting enzyme is a controversial risk factor for restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCA) in patients. Genetic association studies can be problematic to reproduce due to insufficient power, phenotypic heterogeneity, population stratification, small effect of the variant and even publication biases. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship as well as to quantify the between-study heterogeneity and potential bias, a meta-analysis including 11,193 patients from 33 published cohort studies was performed. In a combined analysis, the summary per-allele odds ratio for restenosis was 1.31 (95% CI: 1.08-1.58, P = 0.006), and 1.22 (95% CI: 0.95-1.56, P = 0.12), for PTCA-stent and PTCA-balloon, respectively. In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significantly increased restenosis risks after PTCA-stent were found in Asians for the polymorphism; whereas no significant associations were found among Caucasians. As for restenosis risks after PTCA-balloon, no evidence of any gene-disease association was obtained in the stratified analyses according to ethnicity and study size. In conclusion, this meta-analysis demonstrated that the DD homozygous of ACE I/D polymorphism was significantly associated with elevated restenosis susceptibility after PTCA-stent among Asian populations.

Development of a rabbit model for a preclinical comparison of coronary stent types in-vivo

Along with the development of innovative stent designs, preclinical trials in animal models are essential. Many animal models have been used and appear to yield comparable results to clinical trials despite substantial criticisms about their validity. Among the animal models, porcine coronary artery models have been the standard models for the preclinical evaluation of endovascular devices. However, rapid growth rate, high body weight potential, and the propensity to develop granulomatous inflammatory reactions are major limitations of the porcine coronary artery model. Compared with porcine coronary artery models, the comparative rabbit iliac artery model has the advantages of being small and easy to handle and relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, the rabbit model has been known to reliably reflect human restenosis histopathologically and have major advantages such as pairwise comparison, which makes each animal serve as its own control subject, therefore, maximizing its statistical power for comparative testing. However, despite the widespread use of this model, a systematic description of the procedure and harvest protocols has never been published. This article describes the surgical procedure, stent implantation procedure, method for tissue harvesting, and how measurements are performed. Although the results of animal models may not perfectly extrapolate to humans, the comparative rabbit iliac artery model may be a useful tool for assessing and comparing the efficacy of new coronary stents with conventional stent systems. This thorough description of the techniques required for vascular access, stent implantation, tissue preparation, and measurement, should aid investigators wishing to begin using the comparative rabbit iliac artery model.

Genetic polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme and risk of coronary restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties: evidence from 33 cohort studies

Background

In the past decade, a number of cohort studies studies have been carried out to investigate the relationship between the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the gene encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme and risk of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties in patients. However, these studies have yielded contradictory results. Genetic association studies addressing this issue are frequently hampered by insufficient power. We therefore performed a meta-analysis of the published studies to clarify this inconsistency and to establish a comprehensive picture of the relationship between ACE I/D polymorphism and post-PTCA restenosis risk.

Methods

Databases including Pubmed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane Library databases and CNKI were searched to find relevant studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association. The random-effects model was applied, addressing heterogeneity and publication bias.

Results

A total of 33 cohort studies involving 11,099 subjects were included. In a combined analysis, the OR for post-PTCA restenosis of the ACE DD genotype was 1.61 (95% CI: 1.27–2.04; P<10⁻⁵). In the subgroup analysis by intervention, significantly increased risks were also found in PTCA-stent and PTCA-balloon for the DD genotype of the polymorphism.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis showed that the DD genotype of ACE I/D polymorphism was significantly associated with increased risk of restenosis, particularly for PTCA-stent.

Zotarolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents in an all-comer population in China: the RESOLUTE China randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to compare clinical outcomes and angiographic findings using the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) (Medtronic, Santa Rosa, California) versus the Taxus Liberte paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in an all-comer Chinese population.

BACKGROUND

Concerns regarding restenosis risk led to new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) designed for use in patients with complex clinical or lesion characteristics. In-stent late lumen loss (LLL) is a measure of restenosis risk.

METHODS

Patients with an indication for treatment with a DES were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to placement of at least 1 R-ZES or PES with minimal exclusions. The primary endpoint was angiographic in-stent LLL at 9 months post-procedure. Clinical endpoints at 12 months are compared between the 2 stents.

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients received a R-ZES, and 202 patients received a PES. Most patients were male; 25.8% and 29.2% of R-ZES and PES patients, respectively, had diabetes. Over 70% of lesions in both cohorts were American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association lesion classification Type B2 and C (B2/C). In-stent LLL was 0.16 ± 0.38 mm for R-ZES and 0.33 ± 0.52 mm for PES at 9 months (p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.26 to -0.08). The rates of clinically driven target lesion revascularization were 1.5% for R-ZES and 7.0% for PES (p = 0.011). The rate of target lesion failure was 5.6% for R-ZES and 11% for PES (p = 0.068).

CONCLUSIONS

In an all-comers Chinese population, 9-month in-stent LLL was significantly less with R-ZES compared with PES, which was reflected in lower revascularization rates at 12 months for the R-ZES patients. Results are consistent with previous clinical trials of the R-ZES in all-comer populations. (Resolute Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent Versus the Taxus Liberte Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in China [R-China RCT]; NCT01334268).

Recent advances in drug eluting stents

One of the most common medical interventions to reopen an occluded vessel is the implantation of a coronary stent. While this method of treatment is effective initially, restenosis, or the re-narrowing of the artery frequently occurs largely due to neointimal hyperplasia of smooth muscle cells. Drug eluting stents were developed in order to provide local, site-specific, controlled release of drugs that can inhibit neointima formation. By implementing a controlled release delivery system it may be possible to control the time release of the pharmacological factors and thus be able to bypass some of the critical events associated with stent hyperplasia and prevent the need for subsequent intervention. However, since the advent of first-generation drug eluting stents, long-term adverse effects have raised concerns regarding their safety. These limitations in safety and efficacy have triggered considerable research in developing biodegradable stents and more potent drug delivery systems. In this review, we shed light on the current state-of-the-art in drug eluting stents, problems related to them and highlight some of the ongoing research in this area.

Impact of secondary cardiovascular events on health status

OBJECTIVES

Estimates regarding the impact of secondary cardiovascular events on health status in patients treated for cardiovascular disease are scarce and of limited accuracy.

METHODS

We obtained individual patient data on health status (EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire) and secondary cardiovascular events (death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, amputation, extracranial bleeding, and reinterventions) observed during 12 to 36 months of follow-up. Data originated from five completed clinical trials on revascularization in coronary heart disease (n = 2593) or peripheral arterial disease (PAD; n = 1379). We used linear mixed-effects modeling to estimate the acute impact of the initial secondary event and the health status before and after the event.

RESULTS

A total of 1595 patients had at least one secondary event. Loss of health status just before the event ranged from 0.36 utility score for amputation in women with PAD to zero for cerebrovascular accident in men with PAD. In patients with coronary heart disease, pre-event health status loss ranged from 0.34 for extracranial bleeding in women to 0.10 for myocardial infarction in women. The acute impact of secondary events ranged from minor deterioration for cerebrovascular accident (-0.03) to improvement after all other events, ranging from +0.01 for occlusion to +0.22 for amputation. Women had significantly lower pre-event scores than did men: -0.04 to -0.10 in coronary heart disease and -0.04 to -0.27 in PAD. Older patients had mostly large but insignificantly lower pre-event scores than did younger patients (range +0.04 to -0.67).

CONCLUSIONS

Secondary events after revascularization in patients with cardiovascular disease are associated with health status loss before the event, while acute impact of the events was mostly small.

Cardiovascular risk profile of patients included in stent trials; a pooled analysis of individual patient data from randomised clinical trials: insights from 33 prospective stent trials in Europe

AIMS

Few data document trends in cardiovascular (CV) risk-factors in patients with or without previous symptomatic CV disease. We assessed the prevalence and trends in (non) modifiable CV risk-factors, and the use of cardioprotective therapies in patients enrolled in coronary stent trials.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This analysis included prospective data on 10,253 mainly European adults who were enrolled in 32 coronary stent studies between 1995 and 2006. Data was collected at the time of enrolment using a standardised patient clinical record form, and was analysed by considering three consecutive time periods: 1995-1997 (I), 1998-2002 (II) and 2003-2006 (III) rendering approximately equal numbers per period. Overall the proportion of active smokers remained constant (Period I to III: 28%, 27%, 21%, p=0.45), however the proportion increased in females below 50 years (about 2%/ year, R.RR: 1.20, P: 0.05 period III versus I). Prevalent diabetes increased (16%, 17%, 25%; p=0.029). The prevalence of a body-mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² was high, but no trend was observed (69%, 68%, 70%; p=0.24). The proportion of patients with elevated blood pressure (i.e., ≥140/90 mmHg, in diabetes ≥130/80 mmHg) remained unchanged (55%, 50.%, 53%; p=0.22), despite an increase in the number of patients taking anti-hypertensive agents (84%, 89%, 90%; p=0.30). Conversely, the proportion of patients with elevated total cholesterol (i.e., ≥4.5 mmol/L) decreased (80%, 66%, 52%; p=0.002), which was consistent with the increase in patients taking lipid lowering drugs (32%, 62%, 69%; p=0.083). The portion of patients reaching therapeutic targets for blood lipids improved, but no improvement was seen in blood pressure control (p=0.29).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an unmet clinical need in primary and secondary CV prevention in Europe. Patients requiring PCI are an important target population in whom lifestyle changes and aggressive secondary preventative measures should be aimed. Ultimately PCI should open the door towards optimising secondary prevention.

Economic outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents versus bypass surgery for patients with left main or three-vessel coronary artery disease: one-year results from the SYNTAX trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative approaches to revascularization for patients with three-vessel or left main coronary artery disease (CAD).

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that, despite higher initial costs, long-term costs with bypass surgery (CABG) in multivessel CAD are similar to those for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The impact of drug-eluting stents (DES) on these results is unknown.

METHODS

The SYNTAX trial randomized 1,800 patients with left main or three-vessel CAD to either CABG (n = 897) or PCI using paclitaxel-eluting stents (n = 903). Resource utilization data were collected prospectively for all patients, and cumulative 1-year costs were assessed from the perspective of the U.S. healthcare system.

RESULTS

Total costs for the initial hospitalization were $5,693/patient higher with CABG, whereas follow-up costs were $2,282/patient higher with PCI due mainly to more frequent revascularization procedures and higher outpatient medication costs. Total 1-year costs were thus $3,590/patient higher with CABG, while quality-adjusted life expectancy was slightly higher with PCI. Although PCI was an economically dominant strategy for the overall population, cost-effectiveness varied considerably according to angiographic complexity. For patients with high angiographic complexity (SYNTAX score > 32), total 1-year costs were similar for CABG and PCI, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for CABG was $43,486 per quality-adjusted life-year gained.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with three-vessel or left main CAD, PCI is an economically attractive strategy over the first year for patients with low and moderate angiographic complexity, while CABG is favored among patients with high angiographic complexity.

Middle-term results of percutaneous coronary intervention with standard metallic stent “Ephesos II” implantation in patients with coronary heart disease

Aim. In a non-randomised study, to assess middle-term (9 months) effectiveness and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with “Ephesos II” stent implantation. Material and methods. The study included 41 patients, treated at the Sani Konukoglu Medical Centre, Gaziantep, Turkey. Results. Immediate angiography-confirmed PCI success was achieved in 100 % of the participants. Nine months after the intervention, the percentage of survived patients without restenosis and repeat revascularization was 77,6 %. Control angiography at 9 months was performed in 95,1 % of the patients. The mean in-stent late loss was 0,32±0,25. Restenosis was observed in 22,4 % of the subjects. In all cases of in-stent restenosis, successful repeat PCI was performed. At 9 months, the proportion of the survived patients without moderate to severe cardiac complications and events reached 70,3 %. Conclusion. This non-randomised study demonstrated good short and middle-term results of PCI with standard metallic stent “Ephesos II” implantation.

Transferability of health technology assessments and economic evaluations: a systematic review of approaches for assessment and application

Background:

Health technology assessments (HTA) generally, and economic evaluations (EE) more specifically, have become an integral part of health care decision making around the world. However, these assessments are time consuming and expensive to conduct. Evaluation resources are scarce and therefore priorities need to be set for these assessments and the ability to use information from one country or region in another (geographic transferability) is an increasingly important consideration.

Objectives:

To review the existing approaches, systems, and tools for assessing the geographic transferability potential or guiding the conduct of transferring HTAs and EEs.

Methods:

A systematic literature review was conducted of several databases, supplemented with web searching, hand searching of journals, and bibliographic searching of identified articles. Systems, tools, checklists, and flow charts to assess, evaluate, or guide the conduct of transferability of HTAs and EEs were identified.

Results:

Of 282 references identified, 27 articles were reviewed in full text and of these, seven proposed unique systems, tools, checklists, or flow charts specifically for geographic transferability. All of the seven articles identified a checklist of transferability factors to consider, and most articles identified a subset of ‘critical’ factors for assessing transferability potential. Most of these critical factors related to study quality, transparency of methods, the level of reporting of methods and results, and the applicability of the treatment comparators to the target country. Some authors proposed a sequenced flow chart type approach, while others proposed an assessment of critical criteria first, followed by an assessment of other noncritical factors. Finally some authors proposed a quantitative score or index to measure transferability potential.

Conclusion:

Despite a number of publications on the topic, the proposed approaches and the factors used for assessing geographic transferability potential have varied substantially across the papers reviewed. Most promising is the identification of an extensive checklist of critical and noncritical factors in determining transferability potential, which may form the basis for consensus of a future tool. Due to the complexities of identifying appropriate weights for each of the noncritical factors, it is still uncertain whether the assessment and calculation of an overall transferability score or index will be practical or useful for transferability considerations in the future.

Heparin promotes platelet responsiveness by potentiating αIIbβ3-mediated outside-in signaling

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is a widely used anticoagulant that has long been known to potentiate platelet responses to subthreshold doses of platelet agonists. UFH has been reported to bind and induce modest conformational changes in the major platelet integrin, αIIbβ3, and induce minor changes in platelet morphology. The mechanism by which UFH elicits these platelet-activating effects, however, is not well understood. We found that both human and murine platelets exposed to UFH, either in solution or immobilized onto artificial surfaces, underwent biochemical and morphologic changes indicative of a potentiated state, including phosphorylation of key cytosolic signaling molecules and cytoskeletal changes leading to cell spreading. Low molecular weight heparin and the synthetic pentasaccharide, fondaparinux, had similar platelet-potentiating effects. Human or mouse platelets lacking functional integrin αIIbβ3 complexes and human platelets pretreated with the fibrinogen receptor antagonists eptifibatide or abciximab failed to become potentiated by heparin, demonstrating that heparin promotes platelet responsiveness via its ability to initiate αIIbβ3-mediated outside-in signaling. Taken together, these data provide novel insights into the mechanism by which platelets become activated after exposure to heparin and heparin-coated surfaces, and suggest that currently used glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors may be effective inhibitors of nonimmune forms of heparin-induced platelet activation.

Eight-year clinical outcome after radioactive stent implantation: a treatment failure without irreversible long-term clinical sequelae

AIMS

To assess the long-term outcome of patients who underwent radioactive stent (RS) implantation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The RS study population consisted of 133 consecutive patients who underwent RS implantation between November 1997 and July 2000. They were matched using the propensity score method with 266 patients who underwent bare metal stenting (BMS) in the same span. Long-term survival status and information on MACE (death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or any re-intervention) was retrospectively obtained. Eight-year cumulative survival (90.2% vs. 87.4%, p = 0.57) was similar between the RS and BMS group respectively, while 8-year cumulative MACE-free survival was significantly lower in RS patients (42.1% vs. 64.3%, p < 0.001) due to the difference in events (mainly target lesion revascularisations [TLRs]) during the first year of follow-up (cumulative 1-year MACE-free survival: 59.4% vs. 86.7%, p < 0.001); there was no difference in the MACE rate after the first year (p = 0.71). The TLR rate at six months in the RS group was 29.3%, mainly due to edge restenosis and at one year 36.2% (control group: 9.5%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A high incidence of MACE and re-intervention was observed during the first year following RS implantation, mainly related to TLR for edge restenosis. After the first year, the clinical outcome of RS patients was similar to the control group indicating that there are no late adverse effects related to low dose-rate intracoronary radiation therapy.

Managing coronary artery disease in the cancer patient

The cancer patient with coronary disease presents particular challenges that directly impact on the management of coronary disease, both stable and acute. The frequent need for surgery in the cancer patient is an important consideration in avoiding a coronary artery stent or any percutaneous coronary intervention for management of chronic stable angina, which will delay surgery or pose of risk of stent thrombosis during surgery. Cancer surgery is considered low or intermediate cardiac risk so revascularization before surgery is needed only in exceptional circumstances. Medical treatment in most patients or coronary artery bypass graft in high risk situations may be preferable if the cancer is being actively treated. The likelihood of thrombocytopenia, either primary from bone marrow disease, or secondarily during chemotherapy causes concern about the need for continuous use of platelet suppressing agents, aspirin for all patients, or double antiplatelet therapy in all patients after receiving a coronary artery stent. Drug-eluting stents pose special problems and should be avoided. Even bare metal stents may have a higher long-term risk of stent thrombosis in the cancer patient. The increase in propensity for venous clotting, either as a result of the cancer itself, or especially with selected chemotherapeutic agents may be an issue after stenting and certainly early after coronary bypass surgery. Aggressive medical treatment to reduce risk factors, especially with statins is essential to stabilize the underlying coronary disease.

Thin strut chrome-cobalt stent implantation for treatment of de-novo lesions in small coronary vessels: results of the RISICO Italian Registry (Registro Italiano Mini VISION nei piccolo Vasi) utilizing the Mini VISION coronary stent platform

OBJECTIVES

The Registro Italiano Mini VISION nei piccoli Vasi registry is a prospective, multicenter, observational study, aimed at assessing immediate and long-term angiographic and clinical outcomes of a small-vessel cobalt-chrome super alloy-dedicated stent (Multi-Link RX VISION) in de-novo and long lesions.

BACKGROUND

Small artery size is an important determinant of poor outcomes in percutaneous coronary interventions.

METHODS

Patients with ischemic heart disease were included. The primary end point was procedural success. Secondary end points included clinical restenosis (need for target lesion revascularization ), incidence of major adverse cardiac events at 6 months, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

RESULTS

Between September 2004 and October 2005, 143 patients (mean age 67 +/- 11 years; 22% diabetes) were enrolled; 6-month follow-up was completed in May 2006. Average lesion length, mean stent length and diameter were 16.8 +/- 7.1, 17.01 +/- 3.9 and 2.41 +/- 0.14 mm, respectively. Procedural success was 96%. At 6-month follow-up, the hierarchical major adverse cardiac event rate was 11.6%, 2.9% deaths, 2.9% myocardial infarction and 5.8% target lesion revascularization. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be reported in a further publication.

CONCLUSION

Small-vessel disease treatment with Mini VISION stents permits an elevated procedural success rate with low incidence of clinical restenosis and major adverse cardiac events at mid-term follow-up. Such results require confirmation by means of a randomized controlled study against drug-eluting stents.

Rationale and design of the Patient Related OuTcomes with Endeavor versus Cypher stenting Trial (PROTECT): randomized controlled trial comparing the incidence of stent thrombosis and clinical events after sirolimus or zotarolimus drug-eluting stent implantation

Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce restenosis rates compared to bare-metal stents. Most trials using DES enrolled selected patient and lesion subtypes, and primary endpoint focused on angiographic metrics or relatively short-term outcomes. When DES are used in broader types of lesions and patients, important differences may emerge in long-term outcomes between stent types, particularly the incidence of late stent thrombosis. PROTECT is a randomized, open-label trial comparing the long-term safety of the zotarolimus-eluting stent and the sirolimus-eluting stent. The trial has enrolled 8,800 patients representative of those seen in routine clinical practice, undergoing elective, unplanned, or emergency procedures in native coronary arteries in 196 centers in 36 countries. Indications for the procedure and selection of target vessel and lesion characteristics were at the operator's discretion. Procedures could be staged, but no more than 4 target lesions could be treated per patient. Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy was prespecified to achieve similar lengths of treatment in both study arms. The shortest predefined duration was 3 months, as per the manufacturer's instructions. The primary outcome measure is the composite rate of definite and probable stent thrombosis at 3 years, centrally adjudicated using Academic Research Consortium definitions. The main secondary end points are 3-year all-cause mortality, cardiac death, large nonfatal myocardial infarction, and all myocardial infarctions. This large, international, randomized, controlled trial will provide important information on comparative rates of stent thrombosis between 2 different DES systems and safety as assessed by patient-relevant long-term clinical outcomes.

Improved biocompatibility of thrombo-resistant iron-polysaccharides multilayer coatings on nitinols

Biocompatibility of two multilayer coatings of (Fe3+/Hep)10 and (Fe3+/DS/Fe3+/Hep)5 was comparatively analyzed with respect to protein adsorption, leukocyte adhesion and cell-material interaction. Both of them showed significantly high albumin-to-fibrinogen adsorption ratio, suggesting good biocompatibility. Furthermore, the (Fe3+/DS/Fe3+/Hep)5 coating was found to exhibit the lowest non-specific protein adsorption due to the incorporation of dextran sulfate. Compared with uncoated Nitinol surfaces, iron-polysaccharide multilayer coating presented no deformation of leukocytes, indicating no signs of inflammatory reactions. Cell growth, cell adhesion and cell metabolic activity were all in good condition, verifying both (Fe3+/Hep)10 and (Fe3+/DS/Fe3+/Hep)5 coatings had good cytocompatibility. Therefore, iron-polysaccharides multilayer coatings had greatly improved the biocompatibility of Nitinols.

Cost-effectiveness of the Taxus paclitaxel-eluting stent in the Swedish healthcare system

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the cost-effectiveness of Taxus compared to a bare-metal stent in patients with coronary artery disease in the Swedish healthcare setting.

DESIGN

A decision-analytic model combining clinical data on revascularization rates with Swedish unit costs for medical resources and utility data from the literature.

RESULTS

For patients of moderate risk, the average cost per patient at 12 months is 72,200 SEK for Taxus and 66,900 SEK for a bare-metal stent, while the average cost for high risk patients is nearly equivalent (73,000 vs. 71,700 SEK). The cost per revascularization avoided is generally favourable, while the incremental cost per QALY gained varies depending on the assumptions made; from 2,351,000 SEK for patients of moderate risk at 12-months to cost saving at 24 months for high risk patients. Budget impact scenarios at 12 months are cost-neutral.

CONCLUSION

The Taxus stent is cost-effective in high risk patients, particularly at 24 months. Although it may be less cost-effective for the general population, there is still a substantial offset of initial procedure costs through lower rate of repeat revascularizations.

Acute and intermediate‐term clinical outcomes following Heparin coated BX coronary stent implantation in patients with thrombus containing lesions

BACKGROUND

Coronary stenting in acute coronary syndromes might be associated with increased procedural complications and stent thrombosis risk. Heparin-coated stent (HCS) may improve procedural outcomes when treating these high-risk lesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of HCS in patients with acute coronary syndromes and thrombus containing lesions.

METHODS

Between January 2001 and January 2002, 49 patients (42 male) with thrombus containing lesions (32 sustained acute myocardial infarction) received HC BX stents (HepaCoat) at our hospital. Procedural, hospital and six-month outcomes and quantitative angiographic analysis data were obtained from all patients.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 58 +/- 14 years, 45% had multi-vessel disease and 24% were diabetics. Fifteen patients (31%) received a second HCS for sub-optimal results or threatened closure. Procedural success was achieved in 94% of patients. The mean stent diameter and length was 3.2 +/- 0.2 mm and 18.2 +/- 7.4 mm. The mean TIMI flow increased from 1.3 +/- 1.3 to 2.9 +/- 0.3 and the mean diameter stenosis before and after intervention was 84 +/- 21% and 12 +/- 14%. In-hospital and 30-day follow-up were eventually without occurrence of death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, coronary bypass. At six-months follow-up, cardiac event-free survival was 89.8%, target vessel revascularization was 6.1 and 90% of patients were free of angina.

CONCLUSION

In this series of patients with acute ischemic syndromes associated with visible thrombus, the use of HCS resulted in (1) favorable procedural and six-month outcomes, (2) no incidence of stent thrombosis, and (3) overall good cardiac prognosis at six-month follow-up.

A European multi‐center trial investigating the anti‐restenotic effect of intravascular sonotherapy after stenting of de novo lesions (EUROSPAH: EUROpean Sonotherapy Prevention of Arterial Hyperplasia)

BACKGROUND

Intravascular sonotherapy (IST) reduces neointimal hyperplasia post-stenting in animal studies. Euro-SPAH is a multi-center, double blind, randomized trial investigating the efficacy of IST to reduce in-stent late loss.

METHODS

Patients with angina or silent ischaemia with stented de novo lesions were randomised to sham or IST. The sample size had a 90% power to detect a late loss difference of 0.21 mm at 6 months. The secondary endpoints were MACE at 1, 6, 12 months and neo-intimal hyperplasia on IVUS at 6 months.

RESULTS

At 23 sites in Europe, 403 patients were randomized, with successful treatment with sham or IST in 95.6%. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of baseline demographics or lesion characteristics. Angiographic follow-up was obtained in 89%. In-stent late loss was not significantly different. The restenosis rate at 6 months was 23% in the IST group versus 25% in the sham group. The IVUS measurements confirm the absence of effect of IST on neointimal hyperplasia. At one year, the event-free survival did not significantly differ between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The use of sonotherapy following stent implantation in de novo lesions does not reduce intra-stent neointimal hyperplasia, or effect the angiographic restenosis rate compared to sham treatment.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 10 promoter polymorphisms in Mexican patients with restenosis after coronary stenting

To test for an association with risk for restenosis after coronary stent placement, the TNF-alpha and IL-10 polymorphisms were analyzed by 5' exonuclease TaqMan assays in 162 patients who initially underwent coronary stenting. Analysis of basal and procedure coronary angiographies revealed a higher proportion of restenosis in lesions treated with bare metal stents compared with those treated with drug-eluting stents (P < 0.001). Distribution of TNF-alpha genotypes was similar in patients with and without restenosis. The IL-10 polymorphisms showed a moderate protective trend of the -819 TT genotype against restenosis when the lesions were analyzed (P = 0.071, OR = 0.471). Multivariate analysis confirmed a protective role for drug-eluting stents (P < 0.001, OR = 0.199) and the -819 TT genotype (P = 0.037, OR = 0.391). These results suggest the IL-10 -819 TT genotype has a protective role against in-stent restenosis.

Heparin-bonded ePTFE grafts compared with vein grafts in femoropopliteal and femorocrural bypasses: 1- and 2-year results

OBJECTIVE

Many patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease who require a lower-limb bypass have no available autologous saphenous vein (ASV) for the procedure and thus require a prosthetic graft. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts are commonly used, but results with these prostheses have varied, especially when the distal anastomosis is below the knee. However, there is increasing evidence that ePTFE grafts to which heparin has been bound with use of covalent endpoint linkage provide better results. This nonrandomized study compared the performance of these grafts with that of ASV conduits in the largest clinical series of heparin-bonded ePTFE graft implantations reported so far.

METHODS

The records of 350 patients who underwent a lower-limb bypass procedure that used either a heparin-bonded ePTFE graft (n = 240) or an ASV graft (n = 110) were reviewed, and preoperative, operative, and follow-up data were recorded. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to calculate primary patency and limb salvage rates in the two graft groups; results were compared by using log-rank testing.

RESULTS

The primary patency rates at 1 year for the heparin-bonded ePTFE grafts were 92% for above-knee femoropopliteal (AK FP) bypasses, 92% for below-knee femoropopliteal (BK FP) bypasses, and 79% for femorocrural (FC) applications. The corresponding 2-year rates were 83%, 83%, and 69%, respectively. In the ASV group, the 1-year primary patency rates for AK FP, BK FP, and FC bypasses were 91%, 72%, and 69%, respectively; the 2-year rates were 80%, 72%, and 64%, respectively. There were no significant differences in patency when AK FP, BK FP, or FC procedures were considered separately. Two-year limb salvage rates in the heparin-bonded ePTFE graft group were 92%, 98%, and 87%, respectively, for AK FP, BK FP, and FC bypasses; in the ASV group, the rates were 100%, 91%, and 96%, respectively. Two infections occurred in patients given a heparin-bonded ePTFE graft.

CONCLUSION

In this large retrospective study, heparin-bonded ePTFE grafts had 1- and 2-year primary patency results that were not significantly different from those for ASV grafts. Results in BK FP and FC applications were especially promising. Randomized studies comparing the use of heparin-bonded ePTFE and ASV grafts in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease are needed to substantiate our results.

Glycaemic control and restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with diabetes mellitus: a report from the Insulin Diabetes Angioplasty study

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the impact of glucose control on target lesion restenosis after PCI in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Ninety-three consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes accepted for PCI were randomised to intensified glucose control based on insulin (I-group; n=44) or to continue ongoing glucose-lowering treatment (C-group; n=49).The treatment target was a FBG of 5-7 mmol/L and HbA1c <6.5%. Information on target lesion restenosis after six months was available in 82 patients.

RESULTS

At baseline HbA1c and FBG did not differ between the I- and C-groups, respectively (HbA1c: 6.5 vs. 6.5%; p=1.0 and FBG: 7.0 vs. 7.3 mmol/L; p=0.3). After six months there was no significant change in HbA1c or FBG in either group (change in HbA1c: -0.2 vs.-0.1%; p=0.3 and in FBG: +0.2 vs. -0.3 mmol/L; p=0.3 in the I- and C-groups, respectively). Target lesion restenosis at six months did not differ, I vs. C = 41 and 44% (p=0.8). Independent predictors for restenosis were previous myocardial infarction (OR 8.0, 95% CI 2.5-25.7; p=<0.001) and FBG at baseline (OR for an increase by 1 mmol/L = 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.9; p=0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

Restenosis was predicted by baseline FBG suggesting that it would be of interest to target glucose normalisation in future trials. Intensified insulin treatment did not influence the rate of restenosis indicating that the main focus should be on lowering glucose rather than the tool to normalise glucose.

Percutaneous coronary interventions for non-acute coronary artery disease: a quantitative 20-year synopsis and a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Over the past 20 years, percutaneous transluminal balloon coronary angioplasty (PTCA), bare-metal stents (BMS), and drug-eluting stents (DES) succeeded each other as catheter-based treatments for coronary artery disease. We undertook a systematic overview of randomised trials comparing these interventions with each other and with medical therapy in patients with non-acute coronary artery disease.

METHODS

We searched Medline for trials contrasting at least two of the four interventions (PTCA, BMS, DES, and medical therapy). Eligible outcomes were death, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, target lesion or vessel revascularisation, and any revascularisation. Random effects meta-analyses summarised head-to-head (direct) comparisons, and network meta-analyses integrated direct and indirect evidence.

FINDINGS

61 eligible trials (25 388 patients) investigated four of six possible comparisons between the four interventions; no trials directly compared DES with medical therapy or PTCA. In all direct or indirect comparisons, succeeding advancements in percutaneous coronary intervention did not produce detectable improvements in deaths or myocardial infarction. The risk ratio (RR) for indirect comparisons between DES and medical therapy was 0.96 (95% CI 0.60-1.52) for death and 1.15 (0.73-1.82) for myocardial infarction. By contrast, we recorded sequential significant reductions in target lesion or vessel revascularisation with BMS compared with PTCA (RR 0.68 [0-60.0.77]) and with DES compared with BMS (0.44 [0.35-0.56]). The RR for the indirect comparison between DES and PTCA for target lesion or vessel revascularisation was 0.30 (0.17-0.51).

INTERPRETATION

Sequential innovations in the catheter-based treatment of non-acute coronary artery disease showed no evidence of an effect on death or myocardial infarction when compared with medical therapy. These results lend support to present recommendations to optimise medical therapy as an initial management strategy in patients with this disease.

Temporal changes in coronary revascularization procedures, outcomes, and costs in the bare-metal stent and drug-eluting stent eras: results from the US Medicare program

BACKGROUND

Although drug-eluting stents have been shown to be cost-effective compared with bare-metal stents for select clinical trial patients, whether these findings apply to the general population is unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used data from the Medicare 5% Standard Analytic Files to compare the practice and outcomes of coronary revascularization (by either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting) in the United States between 2001 (pre-drug-eluting stent era, n=14 362) and 2004 (post-drug-eluting stent era, n=16 374). Between 2001 and 2004, the rate of revascularization increased from 837 to 931 per 100 000, whereas the proportion of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention as an initial revascularization procedure increased from 67.5% to 75.2% (P<0.001). Over a median follow-up period of 25.5 months, no significant changes in mortality were found between 2001 and 2004 (13.8% versus 13.3%, P=0.193). Significant decreases were seen, however, in the incidence of repeat revascularization (17.1% versus 16.0%, P=0.012) and myocardial infarction (10.6% versus 8.5%, P<0.001). Over this same time period, total cardiovascular care costs per revascularized patient decreased by $1680 (95% confidence interval $1164 to $2196, P<0.001) whereas total noncardiovascular costs increased by $2481 per patient (95% confidence interval $1844 to $3118, P<0.001). When the impact of overall procedural volumes was considered, aggregate cost to the Medicare program for cardiovascular services increased by $544 million over the 2-year follow-up period. Risk-adjusted results for both the clinical and economic outcomes showed similar trends.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the Medicare population undergoing coronary revascularization, the introduction of drug-eluting stents was associated with increased use of initial percutaneous coronary intervention and reduced bypass surgery along with improved clinical outcomes over approximately 2 years of follow-up. Although total cardiovascular-related costs per revascularized patient decreased over this time period, total cost to the Medicare system still increased owing to greater overall use of revascularization procedures.

A lubricious formulation exhibiting reduced thrombogenicity, cell proliferation, and protein adsorption

The adhesion of human platelets, erythrocytes, and leukocytes, the adsorption of protein, and the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on the surface of electropolished stainless steel and the lumen of polyurethane tubing coated with Hydromer's lubricious Duality T8B formulation was evaluated. Following exposure to a platelet-enriched suspension from citrated human whole blood, stainless steel coated with this formulation exhibited significantly reduced adhesion of platelets, erythrocytes, and granulocytes. This reduction in adhesion was confirmed using an immunohistochemical method utilizing antibodies to CD41, CD235, and CD15, respectively. The proliferation of HUVEC cells were significantly reduced when cultured on coated stainless steel. This formulation was also able to significantly reduce the adsorption of plasma proteins and the major protein in tear fluid (lysozyme) to the surface of stainless steel. The nonthrombogenic properties of Duality T8B after application to the lumen of polyurethane tubing were also examined. Following a short-term (3 h) static exposure to citrated human whole blood, microscopic examination revealed that the adhesion of platelets and erythrocytes was reduced significantly, a finding confirmed using anti-CD41 and anti-CD235 antibodies in the immunohistochemical method. A long-term (12 day) study yielded essentially identical results indicating a significant reduction in the adhesion of blood components on the luminal surface of coated polyurethane tubing. In summary, these data indicate that the application of Duality T8B onto surfaces of medical devices, such as catheters, extracorporeal circuitry, and coronary stents, could aid in reducing or preventing not only thrombus formation but also the process of restenosis.

Barriers to generalizability of health economic evaluations in Latin America and the Caribbean region

Use and acceptance of health economic evaluations (HEEs) has been much greater in developed than in developing nations. Nevertheless, while developing countries lag behind in the development of HEE methods, they could benefit from the progress made in other countries and concentrate on ways in which existing methods can be used or would need to be modified to fulfill their specific needs. HEEs, as context-specific tools, are not easily generalizable from setting to setting. Existing studies regarding generalizability and transferability of HEEs have primarily been conducted in developed countries. Therefore, a legitimate question for policy makers in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC) is to what extent HEEs conducted in industrialized economies and in LAC are generalizable to LAC (trans-regional) and to other LAC countries (intra-regional), respectively. We conducted a systematic review, searching the NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Office of Health Economics Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED), LILACS (Latin America health bibliographic database) and NEVALAT (Latin American Network on HEE) to identify HEEs published between 1980 and 2004. We included individual patient- and model-based HEEs (cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit and cost-consequences analyses) that involved at least one LAC country. Data were extracted by three independent reviewers using a checklist validated by regional and international experts. From 521 studies retrieved, 72 were full HEEs (39% randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 32% models, 17% non-randomized studies and 12% mixed trial-modeling approach). Over one-third of identified studies did not specifically report the type of HEE. Cost-effectiveness and cost-consequence analyses accounted for almost 80% of the studies. The three Latin American countries with the highest participation in HEE studies were Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. While we found relatively good standards of reporting the study's question, population, interventions, comparators and conclusions, the overall reporting was poor, and evidence of unfamiliarity with international guidelines was evident (i.e. absence of incremental analysis, of discounting long-term costs and effects). Analysis or description of place-to-place variability was infrequent. Of the 49 trial-based analyses, 43% were single centre, 33% multinational and 18% multicentre national. Main reporting problems included issues related to sample representativeness, data collection and data analysis. Of the 32 model-based studies (most commonly using epidemiological models), main problems included the inadequacy of search strategy, range selection for sensitivity analysis and theoretical justifications. There are a number of issues associated with the reporting and methodology used in multinational and local HEE studies relevant for LAC that preclude the assessment of their generalizability and potential transferability. Although the quality of reporting and methodology used in model-based HEEs was somewhat higher than those from trial-based HEEs, economic evaluation methodology was usually weak and less developed than the analysis of clinical data. Improving these aspects in LAC HEE studies is paramount to maximizing their potential benefits such as increasing the generalizability/transferability of their results.

Heparin-Coated Stents Do Not Protect Cancer Patients from Cardiac Complications after Noncardiac Surgery

Previous studies regarding preoperative coronary stents and antithrombotic agents have excluded patients with cancer as a result of hypercoagulability. The objective of this study is to determine whether preoperative heparin-coated coronary stents are as safe in patients with cancer undergoing surgery as patients without cancer. Between February 2003 and February 2005, 29 patients had heparin-coated coronary stents placed before noncardiac surgery. The incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction (MI) and/or death was compared in patients with and without cancer, and outcomes were further evaluated based on preoperative antithrombotic status. Postoperative MI occurred in three of 13 (23%) patients with cancer compared with zero of 16 non-cancer patients. Patients with cancer were 9.6 times more likely to have a postoperative MI resulting in death compared with noncancer patients. There was a positive correlation between patients having cancer and having a postoperative MI ( r = 0.38, P = 0.044) and between patients with cancer being on antithrombotic medications during surgery and having a postoperative MI ( r = 0.567, P = 0.044). After stent placement, patients with cancer undergoing surgery experienced a higher incidence of postoperative MI resulting in death compared with noncancer patients despite continued antithrombotic use. In these patients, alternatives to stenting should be considered to avoid perioperative cardiac complications.

Azithromycin does not prevent six-month myointimal proliferation but attenuates the transient systemic inflammation occurring after coronary stenting

OBJECTIVES

Stent implantation produces a systemic increase of inflammatory markers that correlates with Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in atherosclerotic plaque. We performed a clinical intervention study to investigate the effect of antibiotic treatment on 6-month follow-up angiographic minimal luminal diameter after stenting.

METHODS

Ninety patients were randomly assigned to oral azithromycin or placebo in a double-blinded and randomized fashion. Medication was initiated 2 weeks before a pre-scheduled stenting procedure and maintained 12 weeks thereafter. Angiographic outcomes were evaluated by a six-month follow-up angiography and laboratorial parameters were accessed by blood sampling 2 weeks before stenting, within the first 24 h after procedure and additional samples after four weeks and 6 months.

RESULTS

Minimal luminal diameter (1.76 +/- 0.56 mm Vs. 1.70 +/- 0.86 mm; P = 0.7), restenosis rate, diameter stenosis, late loss, and binary restenosis rates were comparable in placebo and azithromycin group in the 6 months follow-up. Serum levels of C-reactive protein presented a three fold significant increase in the control group one day after stenting but did not change in the azithromycin group (8.5 [3.0;16.4] Vs. 2.9 [1.7;6.6]-median [25;75 percentile] P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Azithromycin does not improve late angiographic outcomes but attenuates the elevation of C-reactive protein levels after stenting, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect.

Immediate and Six-month Clinical Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in a Tertiary Hospital in the Sultanate of Oman

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the clinical characteristics, angiographic profile, in-hospital and six-month clinical outcome of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in a tertiary hospital in the Sultanate of Oman.

METHODS

Two hundred and five consecutive patients with both acute coronary syndrome and stable coronary artery disease, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2007 and June 2007, were retrospectively analyzed. Follow-up information was obtained from outpatient visits of these patients at six-months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary end point in this study was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as cardiac death, any myocardial infarction (MI), cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and target vessel revascularization (TVR) with either repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Secondary end points included angiographic success rate, procedural success rate, angina status, and the rate of clinical and angiographic restenosis.

RESULTS

The angiographic and procedural success rate was 98% and 95% respectively. Fifty-one percent of patients surveyed had single vessel disease, 34% had double vessel disease and triple vessel disease was seen in 15% of patients. Type A lesion was found in 16%, Type B in 55% and Type C in 29% of patients. The majority of patients had single vessel stenting (83%). The mean ± SD number of stents per patient was 1.6 ± 0.9.There were four in-hospital deaths (2%) and six patients (2.9%) had non-ST elevation myocardial infarction before hospital discharge. Out of 205 patients, 53 patients were lost to follow-up. Among the 148 patients followed up, 105 patients (71%) were asymptomatic at follow-up, 36 (24%) patients had stable angina and 7 (5%) had a late myocardial infarction including three patients with stent thrombosis (2%). Among the 43 patients with angina or late infarction, 28 patients underwent coronary angiogram. Angiographic in-stent restenosis was seen in 14 patients. Of them, 8 patients underwent CABG and 6 patients repeat PCI. Fourteen patients had patent stents.The remaining fifteen patients were on optimal medications including two patients with stent thrombosis as they refused coronary angiogram. Overall, 132 of 148 patients (105 asymptomatic/14 patent stents/13 with angina) (89%) were free from major adverse cardiac events. Considering anginal status and repeat angiograms, composite clinical (15 patients) and angiographic (14 patients) six-month restenosis rate in percutaneous coronary intervention patients (29/148) was 19.5%.

CONCLUSION

Results of percutaneous coronary intervention in our setup is excellent with good immediate results, low complication rate, good six-month clinical outcome and is comparable to international standards.

Drug eluting and bare metal stents in people with and without diabetes: collaborative network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness and safety of three types of stents (sirolimus eluting, paclitaxel eluting, and bare metal) in people with and without diabetes mellitus.

DESIGN

Collaborative network meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Electronic databases (Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), relevant websites, reference lists, conference abstracts, reviews, book chapters, and proceedings of advisory panels for the US Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers and trialists provided additional data.

REVIEW METHODS

Network meta-analysis with a mixed treatment comparison method to combine direct within trial comparisons between stents with indirect evidence from other trials while maintaining randomisation. Overall mortality was the primary safety end point, target lesion revascularisation the effectiveness end point.

RESULTS

35 trials in 3852 people with diabetes and 10,947 people without diabetes contributed to the analyses. Inconsistency of the network was substantial for overall mortality in people with diabetes and seemed to be related to the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (P value for interaction 0.02). Restricting the analysis to trials with a duration of dual antiplatelet therapy of six months or more, inconsistency was reduced considerably and hazard ratios for overall mortality were near one for all comparisons in people with diabetes: sirolimus eluting stents compared with bare metal stents 0.88 (95% credibility interval 0.55 to 1.30), paclitaxel eluting stents compared with bare metal stents 0.91 (0.60 to 1.38), and sirolimus eluting stents compared with paclitaxel eluting stents 0.95 (0.63 to 1.43). In people without diabetes, hazard ratios were unaffected by the restriction. Both drug eluting stents were associated with a decrease in revascularisation rates compared with bare metal stents in people both with and without diabetes.

CONCLUSION

In trials that specified a duration of dual antiplatelet therapy of six months or more after stent implantation, drug eluting stents seemed safe and effective in people both with and without diabetes.

Cell adhesion and proliferation are reduced on stainless steel coated with polysaccharide-based polymeric formulations

Hydromer's polymeric formulations F200 and F202 were evaluated after application to a synthetic substrate for effects on cell adhesion and proliferation. A significant reduction in cell adhesion was observed when cells grown on medical-grade stainless steel coated with these polymers were stained and examined under a fluorescence microscope. This reduction in cell adhesion/proliferation was confirmed when cells were isolated and analyzed by the MTS cell proliferation assay. The rate of growth of cells on F200- and F202-coated stainless steel monitored over a period of 7 days was significantly less than that observed on uncoated stainless steel, suggesting that the rate of growth of cells was reduced. The adhesion/proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to coated substrates was also decreased significantly, indicating that the reduction in cell adhesion/proliferation is not restricted to only fibroblasts. Additional studies have indicated that the adhesion/proliferation of murine fibroblasts and human endothelial cells to stainless coated with a modified formulation exhibiting a high degree of lubricity was also significantly reduced. This lubricious formulation was also observed to be effective in reducing platelet adhesion, data supporting the view that lubricity also contributes to a reduction in cell and platelet adhesion. The application of these polymeric coatings on devices designed for medical implantation may not only prevent thrombus formation but may also retard the process of restenosis.

Short- and long-term outcomes of single bare metal stent versus drug eluting stent in nondiabetic patients with a simple de novo lesion in the middle and large vessel

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between single bare metal stent (BMS) and single drug eluting stent (DES) in nondiabetic patients with a simple de novo lesion in the middle and large vessel.

METHODS

Two hundred and thirty-five consecutive patients with a simple de novo lesion in the middle and large vessel were treated with BMS or DES in our hospital from Apr. 2004 to Dec. 2004. The inclusion criteria: a simple de novo lesion in the middle and large vessel, stent diameter > or = 3.0 mm, stent length < or = 18 mm, the exclusion criteria: diabetes mellitus, left main trunk disease and left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 30%. Of them, there were 150 patients in BMS group and 85 patients in DES group, and the rates of lost to follow up were 6.7% and 1.2% respectively.

RESULTS

BMS group had lower hypercholesteremia rate (22.0% vs 38.8%) and higher proportion of TIMI grade 0 (12% vs 1.2%) than DES group (all P < 0.05), but both groups had similar stent length (16.16 +/- 2.81 mm vs 16.06 +/- 2.46 mm) and stent diameter (3.85 +/- 3.07 mm vs 3.19 +/- 0.24 mm) after procedure, in-segment restenosis rate (0% vs 1.2%) and target lesion revascularization (TLR, 2.0% vs 2.4%) at 6-month follow-up (all P > 0.05). No difference was found in TLR (1.3% vs 1.2%, P = 1.00) and recurrent myocardial infarction (Re-MI) (0% vs 1.2%, P = 0.36), cardiac death (0.7% vs 1.2%, P = 1.00) between 1- and 3-year. So were TLR (6.0% vs 5.9%, P = 0.97), Re-MI (0% vs 2.4%, P = 0.06), cardiac death (2.0% vs 3.5%, P = 0.48) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE, 8.7% vs 10.6%, P = 0.63), cardiac death-free cumulative survival (98.7% vs 97.7%, P = 0.56), TLR-free cumulative survival (94.0% vs 94.1%, P = 0.98) and Re-MI-free cumulative survival (100% vs 97.7%, P = 0.06) at 3-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The single BMS has similar efficacy and safety to single DES in nondiabetic patients with a simple de novo lesion in the middle and large vessel at short- and long-term follow-up.