Primary Stenting of Totally Occluded Native Coronary Arteries II (PRISON II)

XIENCE V everolimus-eluting coronary stent system: a novel second generation drug-eluting stent

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have been shown to be safe and significantly reduce clinical events and angiographic restenosis in the percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease. Currently, three DES have been approved in Europe and Northern America: the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), the paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) and the zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES). Everolimus, an analog of sirolimus, is an immunosuppressive and antiproliferative agent. In three studies, the SPIRIT I, FUTURE I and II, the everolimus-eluting stent has proven to be safe, well-tolerated and has shown very favorable clinical and angiographic results. Compared with earlier-generation DES, the XIENCE V everolimus-eluting coronary stent system (Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Inc., an Abbott Vascular Company, CA, USA) may provide enhanced deliverability, radiopacity with thinner strut filaments and, owing to a durable polymer, sustained drug elution and vascular compatibility.

Techniques and material used in the percutaneous treatment of chronic coronary occlusions. Data from the CIBELES study

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, various specific techniques and materials have been developed for the treatment of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the current situation in the treatment of CTO (techniques and material) in our setting.

METHODS

We evaluated data on techniques and material used in the CIBELES (ChronIc coronary occlusion treated By EveroLimus Eluting Stent) trial, a randomized comparison of sirolimus- and everolimus-eluting stents in 207 patients with CTO in 13 centers in Spain and Portugal.

RESULTS

A radial approach was used in 23% of patients, and retrograde techniques were used in only 5%. A high number of balloons were used (2.2±0.9 per patient). Microcatheters were used in 33% of patients, and post-dilatation balloons in only 25%. The mean number of stents implanted per patient was 2.1±1.0, with a mean total stent length of 49±24 mm. Other devices and techniques used were: Tornus penetration catheter in 4% of patients, rotational atherectomy in 2%, and cutting balloon in 1%. Intracoronary ultrasound was used in only 6% of patients. In 34% of cases, operators used guidewires that were not specifically for CTO. Considerable variability between centers was detected in the use of different techniques, the highest and lowest variability being observed in the use of intracoronary ultrasound and the use of CTO guidewires, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the CIBELES trial, techniques and devices specifically designed for the treatment of CTO were used in a relatively low proportion of patients. Considerable variability between centers was detected.

Clinical presentation and predictors of target vessel revascularization after drug-eluting stent implantation

BACKGROUND

Drug eluting stent (DES) failure including restenosis and stent thrombosis, or disease progression may result in target vessel revascularization (TVR) but the relative contribution of these mechanisms in the DES era is not well described. We sought to examine the predictors and presentations of patients with clinically driven TVR after DES.

METHODS

Patients with all lesions treated with a DES in the Dynamic Registry from 2004 to 2006 were analyzed. Included were 2691 patients with 3401 lesions. Patients with and without incident clinically driven TVR at 2years were compared according to baseline clinical, procedural, and angiographic characteristics and independent predictors of TVR and target lesion revascularization (TLR) were determined by multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

By 2-years, TVR occurred in 7.2% of patients and TLR in 3.8%, with 71.6% and 82.5% of repeat revascularization events occurring in the first year, respectively. The indication for first TVR was myocardial infarction in 18.6% (n=34), unstable angina in 42.6% (n=78), stable coronary disease in 25.7% (n=47) and other/unknown in 13.1% (n=24). Disease progression was responsible for 47% of TVR. Among patients with TLR, restenosis was the mechanism in 86.6% and stent thrombosis in 13.4%. Independent predictors of TVR included younger age, diabetes, attempted graft lesion, lesion length >30mm and prior lesion intervention. Independent predictors of TVR and TLR were similar.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of clinically driven TVR is low in patients treated with DES and nearly half is attributable to disease progression, which along with the low rate of in-stent restenosis explains why the mode of presentation is often an acute coronary syndrome.

Randomized comparison of sirolimus-eluting and everolimus-eluting coronary stents in the treatment of total coronary occlusions: results from the chronic coronary occlusion treated by everolimus-eluting stent randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Patients with coronary total occlusions are at especially high risk for restenosis and new revascularizations. Sirolimus-eluting stents dramatically improved the clinical outcome of this subset of patients in randomized trials, but other drug-eluting stents, mainly the everolimus-eluting stent (currently the most frequently used stent), have not yet been evaluated in patients with coronary total occlusions. The objective was to compare the second-generation everolimus-eluting stent with the first-generation sirolimus-eluting stent in patients with coronary total occlusions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 207 patients with coronary total occlusions and estimated time since occlusion >2 weeks were randomized to everolimus- or sirolimus-eluting stent. The primary end point was in-stent late loss at 9-month angiographic follow-up (noninferiority trial). Clinical follow-up was performed at 1 and 12 months. In-stent late loss at 9 months was 0.29±0.60 versus 0.13±0.69 mm in patients allocated to sirolimus- and everolimus-eluting stent, respectively. The observed difference in in-stent late loss between both groups was -0.16 mm (95% confidence interval, 0.04 to -0.36 mm; P for noninferiority <0.01). The rate of binary angiographic restenosis was 10.8% and 9.1% in patients allocated to sirolimus- and everolimus-eluting stent, respectively (P=0.709), whereas the rate of vessel reocclusion was 3.2% and 1.1%, respectively (P=0.339). At 12 months, the rate of major adverse events was 15.9% versus 11.1% with sirolimus- and everolimus-eluting stent, respectively (P=0.335), and probable or definitive stent thrombosis occurred in 3.0% and 0.0% of patients, respectively (P=0.075).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with coronary total occlusions, everolimus-eluting stent is as effective as sirolimus-eluting stent.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00793221.

Percutaneous recanalization of chronic total occlusions: wherein lies the body of proof?

Although interventional technology and skills have markedly advanced, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions remains challenging. Indeed, CTO PCI is technically complex, carries the potential for a relatively high likelihood of failure and acute complications, and requires specifically skilled operators and a demanding use of resources. In addition, controversy persists surrounding appropriate indications for attempting CTO revascularization. Finally, there is a wide uncertainty on the actual benefits achieved with successful CTO recanalization. A growing number of studies have reported procedural results and/or assessed functional effects and long-term clinical outcomes of CTO PCI. We therefore sought to review and critically appraise the evidence base for procedural outcomes and potential clinical benefits of CTO PCI.

Five-year outcomes in patients with chronic total coronary occlusion treated with drug-eluting vs bare-metal stents: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Limited data exist on long-term safety and effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DESs) in true chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) settings. We evaluated 5-year clinical outcomes of patients with CTO treated successfully with DES vs bare-metal stent (BMS).

METHODS

We compared the 5-year clinical outcomes of 156 patients treated with DES implantation with outcomes of a historical cohort of 159 patients treated with BMS. Primary end point was freedom from major adverse cardiac events (MACEs; defined as death, myocardial infarction [MI], and target lesion revascularization [TLR]); secondary end points were freedom from target vessel failure (TVF; combination of target vessel revascularization, MI, and cardiac death) and TLR at 5 years.

RESULTS

After 5 years, the DES group had significantly superior event-free survival from MACE (84% vs 69%; log rank P < 0.001), TVF (71% vs 84%; P = 0.002), and TLR (77% vs 92%; P = 0.0001), compared with the BMS group. The Cox proportional hazards model identified BMS vs DES (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 3.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85-6.17; P = 0.001), final minimal lumen diameter (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14-0.52; P = 0.0001), and stent length (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.03; P = 0.03) as independent predictors of MACE at 5-year follow-up. Twelve (7%) and 7 (4%) stent thromboses occurred in the DES and BMS groups (P = 0.23), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

After 5 years, DESs were superior to BMSs in reducing MACE, TVF, and TLR in patients with CTO and should be the preferred strategy.

A randomized multicenter comparison of hybrid sirolimus-eluting stents with bioresorbable polymer versus everolimus-eluting stents with durable polymer in total coronary occlusion: rationale and design of the Primary Stenting of Occluded Native Coronary Arteries IV study

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous recanalization of total coronary occlusion (TCO) was historically hampered by high rates of restenosis and reocclusions. The PRISON II trial demonstrated a significant restenosis reduction in patients treated with sirolimus-eluting stents compared with bare metal stents for TCO. Similar reductions in restenosis were observed with the second-generation zotarolimus-eluting stent and everolimus-eluting stent. Despite favorable anti-restenotic efficacy, safety concerns evolved after identifying an increased rate of very late stent thrombosis (VLST) with drug-eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of TCO. Late malapposition caused by hypersensitivity reactions and chronic inflammation was suggested as a probable cause of these VLST. New DES with bioresorbable polymer coatings were developed to address these safety concerns. No randomized trials have evaluated the efficacy and safety of the new-generation DES with bioresorbable polymers in patients treated for TCO.

METHODS/DESIGN

The prospective, randomized, single-blinded, multicenter, non-inferiority PRISON IV trial was designed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and angiographic outcome of hybrid sirolimus-eluting stents with bioresorbable polymers (Orsiro; Biotronik, Berlin, Germany) compared with everolimus-eluting stents with durable polymers (Xience Prime/Xpedition; Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) in patients with successfully recanalized TCOs. In total, 330 patients have been randomly allocated to each treatment arm. Patients are eligible with estimated duration of TCO ≥4 weeks with evidence of ischemia in the supply area of the TCO. The primary endpoint is in-segment late luminal loss at 9-month follow-up angiography. Secondary angiographic endpoints include in-stent late luminal loss, minimal luminal diameter, percentage of diameter stenosis, in-stent and in-segment binary restenosis and reocclusions at 9-month follow-up. Additionally, optical coherence tomography is performed in the first 60 randomized patients at 9 months to assess neointima thickness, percentage of neointima coverage, and stent strut malapposition and coverage. Personnel blinded to the allocated treatment will review all angiographic and optical coherence assessments. Secondary clinical endpoints include major adverse cardiac events, clinically driven target vessel revascularization, target vessel failure and stent thrombosis to 5-year clinical follow-up. An independent clinical event committee blinded to the allocated treatment will review all clinical events.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials.gov: NCT01516723. Patient recruitment started in February 2012.

Paclitaxel-coated balloon with bare-metal stenting in patients with chronic total occlusions in native coronary arteries

OBJECTIVES

We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel-coated balloon plus bare-metal stenting (BMS) in chronic total occlusions (CTOs).

BACKGROUND

Drug-eluting stent implantation after recanalization of CTOs is limited by the occurrence of restenosis and risk for late stent thromboses.

METHODS

In this prospective, bicenter trial we treated 48 patients after successful chronic total occlusion (CTO) recanalization in a native coronary artery with paclitaxel-coated balloon plus BMS. Patients were matched according to stent length, reference diameter, and diabetes mellitus with 48 patients treated with Taxus stent implantation. Dual antiplatelet therapy was prescribed for 6 months. Angiographic (clinical) follow-up was obtained after 6 (12) months. Primary endpoint was in-stent late lumen loss.

RESULTS

There was no difference in patient baseline characteristics or procedural results. Stent length was 59.7 ± 32.4 mm (16-151 mm) for paclitaxel-coated balloon plus BMS versus 56.2 ± 25.9 mm (16-132 mm) for Taxus stent. Late loss was statistically not different within the stent with 0.64 ± 0.69 mm versus 0.43 ± 0.64 mm (difference 0.20 mm, 95% confidence interval -0.07 to 0.47, P = 0.14) and at the occlusion site with 0.33 ± 0.69 mm versus 0.26 ± 0.70 mm, respectively. Restenosis rate was 27.7% compared with 20.8% (P = 0.44) and the combined clinical endpoint (cardiac death, myocardial infarction attributed to the target vessel, target lesion revascularization) was 14.6% versus 18.8% (P = 0.58), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, for patients with complex CTOs in native coronary arteries the use of paclitaxel-coated balloon after bare-metal stenting was associated with similar clinical results and a nonsignificantly higher in-stent late loss compared with a matched population with paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation.

Comparison of five-year outcome of sirolimus-eluting stent implantation for chronic total occlusions versus for non-chronic total occlusion (from the j-Cypher registry)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the 5-year clinical outcomes of patients who underwent sirolimus-eluting stent implantation for chronic total occlusion (CTO). Among 10,759 patients treated exclusively with sirolimus-eluting stent in the j-Cypher registry, clinical outcomes were compared between 1,210 patients with revascularization for CTO and 9,549 patients with revascularization for non-CTO only. The cumulative 5-year incidence of all-cause death (13.2% vs 14.3%, p = 0.56) and definite stent thrombosis (1.9% vs 1.6%, p = 0.76) was similar between the 2 groups. The adjusted risk for CTO relative to non-CTO for all-cause death and definite stent thrombosis was insignificant (hazard ratio [HR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81 to 1.16, and HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.6 to 1.65, respectively). The cumulative incidence of target lesion revascularization was significantly higher in the CTO group (20.7% vs 14.8%, p <0.001). The adjusted risk for target lesion revascularization was significant (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.52, p <0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the risk for CTO for all-cause death tended to be lower in the subgroup of patients with left ventricular ejection fractions ≤40% (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.01, p = 0.053), while the risk was significantly higher in the subgroup of patients with end-stage renal disease without hemodialysis (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.70, p = 0.04). In conclusion, sirolimus-eluting stent implantation for CTO appears to be as safe as that for non-CTO for up to 5 years, except for the modestly elevated risk for target lesion revascularization and the higher risk for all-cause death in patients with end-stage renal disease without hemodialysis.

Effectiveness and safety of paclitaxel-eluting stents in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction

AIMS

The efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been demonstrated yet. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PES in patients with STEMI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A meta-analysis from three randomised trials that compared PES and bare-metal stents in patients with STEMI was performed. Overall, 925 patients were included: 459 allocated to PES, and 466 to bare-metal stents (BMS). The rates of major adverse events (i.e. death, reinfarction, and target vessel revascularisation at 6-12 month follow-up) was compared for patients with PES and BMS. Compared to patients with BMS, a significant reduction in the incidence of events (9.1% vs. 13.9%, p=0.02; OR 0.62; 95%, CI: 0.41-0.93), and target vessel revascularisation (4.7% vs. 8.3%, p=0.03; OR 0.54; 95%, CI 0.31-0.94) was found in patients with PES. The rates of death and reinfarction were similar in BMS and DES patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of PES in patients with STEMI is associated with a significant reduction in MACE and need for new revascularisations.

Efficiency and safety of the sirolimus eluting stent in complex coronary artery lesions after cessation of dual antiplatelet therapy: fifteen months clinical outcome of the randomised Stenting Coronary Arteries in Non-stress/benestent Disease (SCANDSTENT) trial

BACKGROUND

The randomised Stenting Coronary Arteries in Non-stress/benestent Disease (SCANDSTENT) trial reported considerably less angiographic restenosis after implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) vs bare metal stents (BMS) in patients with complex coronary lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome after a majority of the SCANDSTENT patients had stopped the dual antiplatelet therapy.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The SCANDSTENT trial randomly assigned 322 patients with symptomatic complex coronary artery disease (occlusions, bifurcations, ostial or angulated lesions) to receive SES or BMS. At 15 months after stent implantation, when 80% of the patients had stopped taking clopidogrel, six patients in the SES group and 10 in the BMS group had died or suffered a myocardial infarction (non significant [NS]). Compared with BMS, SES reduced the rate of target vessel revascularisation (TVR) from 33.1% to 5.6% (P<0.001) and the frequency of major adverse cardiac events from 35.7% to 8.6% (p<0.001). Definite stent thrombosis was observed in five patients in the BMS group, and two cases of probable and possible stent thrombosis were observed in the SES group (NS). One case of possible SES thrombosis occurred more than one year after stent implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with BMS, SES markedly reduced the frequency of TVR and MACE within 15 months in SCANDSTENT patients with complex coronary artery lesions without development of delayed restenosis.

Short- and long-term outcomes with drug-eluting and bare-metal coronary stents: a mixed-treatment comparison analysis of 117 762 patient-years of follow-up from randomized trials

BACKGROUND

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have been in clinical use for nearly a decade; however, the relative short- and long-term efficacy and safety of DES compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) and among the DES types are less well defined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for randomized clinical trials, until March 2012, that compared any of the Food and Drug Administration-approved durable stent and polymer DES (sirolimus-eluting stent [SES], paclitaxel-eluting stent [PES], everolimus-eluting stent [EES], zotarolimus-eluting stent [ZES], and ZES-Resolute [ZES-R]) with each other or against BMS for de novo coronary lesions, enrolling at least 100 patients and with follow-up of at least 6 months. Short-term (≤ 1 year) and long-term efficacy (target-vessel revascularization, target-lesion revascularization) and safety (death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis) outcomes were evaluated and trial-level data pooled by both mixed-treatment comparison and direct comparison analyses. From 76 randomized clinical trials with 117 762 patient-years of follow-up, compared with BMS, each DES reduced long-term target-vessel revascularization (39%-61%), but the magnitude varied by DES type (EES~SES~ZES-R>PES~ZES>BMS), with a >42% probability that EES had the lowest target-vessel revascularization rate. There was no increase in the risk of any long-term safety outcomes, including stent thrombosis, with any DES (versus BMS). In addition, there was reduction in myocardial infarction (all DES except PES versus BMS) and stent thrombosis (with EES versus BMS: Rate ratio, 0.51; 95% credibility interval, 0.35-0.73). The safest DES appeared to be EES (>86% probability), with reduction in myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis compared with BMS. Short-term outcomes were similar to long-term outcomes, with SES, ZES-R, and everolimus-eluting stent being the most efficacious and EES being the safest stent.

CONCLUSIONS

DES are highly efficacious at reducing the risk of target-vessel revascularization without an increase in any safety outcomes, including stent thrombosis. However, among the DES types, there were considerable differences, such that EES, SES, and ZES-R were the most efficacious and EES was the safest stent.

[Use of drug-eluting stents: impact of French recommendations on the rate of clinical restenosis at 2 years]

AIMS

The drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce restenosis rate compared to bare metal stents. The clinical efficacy is greater in some subgroups of patients at high risk of restenosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of drug-eluting stent based on the recommendations of the French Society of Cardiology and its impact on the restenosis rate at 2 years.

METHODS

We included all patients who had coronary angioplasty with stenting in 2008. We evaluated the percentage of drug-eluting stent, the proportion of patients for which the French recommendations have been followed, and the rate of clinical restenosis at 2 years.

RESULTS

Four hundred and seventy-nine angioplasties were performed in 2008. The percentage of drug-eluting stents was 21.8%. Acute coronary syndrome with or without elevation of the ST segment were the main indications of angioplasty (67.9%). For the 115 drug-eluting stents implanted in 2008, French recommendations were followed in 93% of cases (107 stents). For 89 patients who received DES, these recommendations were followed in 91% of cases (81 patients). The clinical restenosis rate at 2 years evaluated in 89% of patients was 5.6%. The rate of in-stent restenosis in bare metal and drug-eluting stents were 5.9 and 3.7%.

CONCLUSION

The use of DES in our center is characterized by a small rate and a good compliance of the recommendations of the French Society of Cardiology. This strategy is associated with a low rate of restenosis at 2 years of follow-up.

Sirolimus-eluting stents reduce long-term mortality compared with bare metal stents in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) have demonstrated more favorable outcomes compared with bare metal stents (BMS) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within medium term follow up in randomized controlled trials (RCT). However, long-term outcomes remain unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-analysis of RCT comparing SES with BMS in STEMI patients at long-term follow up, defined as 2 years or more after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The clinical end points of our interest were death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), definite stent thrombosis (ST), and target lesion revascularization (TLR). We calculated the pooled estimate based on a fixed-effects model using Peto odds ratio (OR) for rare events. If heterogeneity was observed across an individual RCT, an analysis based on a random-effects model was performed.

RESULTS

Four RCT were included in this study, involving 1304 patients (656 patients randomized to SES and 648 patients to BMS). Up to 4 years, SES showed a significant reduction in not only TLR (OR: 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31 to 0.62, p<0.001) but also mortality (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.00, p=0.049) compared with BMS. In contrast, the proportions of recurrent MI (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.28, p=0.378) and definite ST (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.56 to 2.27, p=0.740) were comparable between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this meta-analysis of long-term RCT, primary PCI for STEMI patients with SES was associated with a decrease in mortality as well as TLR without an increase in recurrent MI or definite ST compared with BMS.

Everolimus-eluting stents for treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions

BACKGROUND

After successful recanalization of a coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) the risk for restenosis and subsequent need for repeat intervention is high. Everolimus-eluting stents (EESs) were associated with low rates of restenosis, reintervention and stent thrombosis in non-occluded lesions. We sought to determine the antiproliferative impact of the everolimus-eluting Xience V stent in CTOs.

METHODS

Fifty-three patients with a CTO in a native coronary artery were included. CTO was defined as a duration of occlusion ≥3 months and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 0 flow. EESs were exclusively implanted to completely cover the occluded and adjacent stenotic segments. Dual antiplatelet therapy was prescribed for 6 months. Follow-up angiography was scheduled at 6 months. Clinical follow-up was done at 12 months. The primary endpoint was late loss at the initial occlusion site. Secondary clinical endpoint was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction not clearly attributable to a non-target vessel and target lesion revascularization.

RESULTS

Mean occlusion length was 24 ± 17 mm, ranging from 4 to 74 mm. Mean stent length was 79 ± 36 mm, ranging from 18 to 158 mm. Reference diameter was 3.27 ± 0.58 mm. Late loss at the initial occlusion site was 0.22 ± 0.69 mm. There were six (11%) binary restenosis with a target lesion reintervention in three (6%) patients. There was no death, myocardial infarction or stent thrombosis within 12 months.

CONCLUSION

In patients with successful recanalization of complex CTOs the use of EESs results in a low angiographic late loss and restenosis rate without stent thrombosis throughout 12 months follow-up.

Drug-eluting coronary stents - focus on improved patient outcomes

The development of stent has been a major advance in the treatment of obstructive coronary artery disease since the introduction of balloon angioplasty. Subsequently, neointimal hyperplasia within the stent leading to in-stent restenosis emerged as a major obstacle in long-term success of percutaneous coronary intervention. Recent introduction of drug-eluting stents is a major breakthrough to tackle this problem. This review article summarizes stent technology, reviews progress of drug-eluting stents and discusses quality of life, patient satisfaction, and acceptability of percutaneous coronary intervention.

Hybrid strategy of a bare metal stent combined with a drug-eluting stent versus exclusive drug-eluting stent implantation for multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention

AIMS

This study aimed to examine the strategy of hybrid percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) -bare metal stent (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES)- versus exclusive DES implantation for patients undergoing multivessel PCI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A cohort of 2,065 patients who underwent PCI (698 hybrid, 1,367 exclusive DES) were followed clinically up to one year. The primary outcome was target vessel revascularisation-major adverse cardiac events (TVR-MACE). Patients presenting with cardiogenic shock, anaemia (haematocrit <25), and bypass graft PCI were excluded. Only patients with ≥ 2 stents in two different lesions were analysed for this study. Baseline and procedural characteristics were similar. Major in-hospital complications and subacute stent thrombosis rates were similar. At one year, there was no difference in TVR-MACE (hybrid 17.2% vs. DES 14.6%, p=0.128). On multivariable analysis, hybrid PCI was not a predictor of TVR-MACE. The strongest predictors of TVR-MACE at one year were hypertension and African American race. Cumulative stent thrombosis rates at one year were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who undergo hybrid PCI have similar composite in-hospital and 1-year outcomes as those who undergo exclusive DES PCI. The hybrid stent approach should be considered for patients with multivessel PCI since it can lower the procedure cost without increasing adverse events.

Predicting successful guidewire crossing through chronic total occlusion of native coronary lesions within 30 minutes: the J-CTO (Multicenter CTO Registry in Japan) score as a difficulty grading and time assessment tool

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to establish a model for grading lesion difficulty in interventional chronic total occlusion (CTO) treatment.

BACKGROUND

Owing to uncertainty of success of the procedure and difficulties in selecting suitable cases for treatment, performance of interventional CTO remains infrequent.

METHODS

Data from 494 native CTO lesions were analyzed. To eliminate operator bias, the objective parameter of successful guidewire crossing within 30 min was set as an end point, instead of actual procedural success. All observations were randomly assigned to a derivation set and a validation set at a 2:1 ratio. The J-CTO (Multicenter CTO Registry of Japan) score was determined by assigning 1 point for each independent predictor of this end point and summing all points accrued. This value was then used to develop a model stratifying all lesions into 4 difficulty groups: easy (J-CTO score of 0), intermediate (score of 1), difficult (score of 2), and very difficult (score of ≥ 3).

RESULTS

The set end point was achieved in 48.2% of lesions. Independent predictors included calcification, bending, blunt stump, occlusion length >20 mm, and previously failed lesion. Easy, intermediate, difficult, and very difficult groups, stratified by J-CTO score, demonstrated stepwise, proportioned, and highly reproducible differences in probability of successful guidewire crossing within 30 min (87.7%, 67.1%, 42.4%, and 10.0% in the derivation set and 92.3%, 58.3%, 34.8%, and 22.2% in the validation set, respectively). Areas under receiver-operator characteristic curves were comparable (derivation: 0.82 vs. validation: 0.76).

CONCLUSIONS

This model predicted the probability of successful guidewire crossing within 30 min very well and can be applied for difficulty grading.

In-hospital outcomes of contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with chronic total occlusion insights from the J-CTO Registry (Multicenter CTO Registry in Japan)

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to investigate in-hospital outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusion (CTO) using contemporary techniques.

BACKGROUND

Despite its increasing popularity and technical complexity, clinical outcomes of PCI for CTO using contemporary techniques have not been adequately evaluated.

METHODS

The J-CTO registry (multicenter CTO registry in Japan) is a large scale, multicenter registry enrolling consecutive patients undergoing PCI for CTO from 12 Japanese centers. In-hospital clinical outcomes were evaluated in 498 patients with 528 CTO lesions.

RESULTS

Multiple wiring strategies were frequently attempted (parallel wiring 31% and retrograde approach 25%) with relatively long guidewire manipulation time (median 30 min). Utilizing these complex strategies, high procedural success rates (88.6% in the first attempt cases and 68.5% in the retry cases) were accomplished. In-hospital adverse event rates were strikingly low (cardiac death 0.2%, Q-wave myocardial infarction 0.2%, and stroke 0%). Potential disadvantages of these procedures, including a large amount of contrast volume (median 293 ml) and long fluoroscopic time (median 45 min), were not associated with serious clinical sequelae (contrast induced nephropathy 1.2% and radiation dermatitis 0%). Although coronary perforations were documented frequently by angiography (antegrade 7.2% and retrograde 13.6%), clinically significant perforation resulting in cardiac tamponade was rare (0.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Most CTO lesions can be safely and successfully treated with PCI utilizing contemporary advanced techniques. Invasiveness and potential risks of these strategies, which have been the greatest concerns of CTO treatment, may be acceptable in the majority of cases considering the actual incidences of related adverse events and the procedural success rates.

Drug-eluting stents for coronary artery disease: a review

Over the past decade the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DESs) has revolutionised the treatment of coronary artery disease. However, in recent years concern has arisen over the long-term safety and efficacy of DESs due to the occurrence of late adverse clinical events such as stent thrombosis. With this concern in mind, research and development is currently centred on increasing the long-term safety and efficacy of DESs. The aim of this paper is to provide a thorough review of currently approved and promising investigational DESs. With dozens of companies involved in the development of new and innovative anti-restenotic agents, polymeric coatings and stent platforms, it is intended that this review paper will provide a clear indication of how DESs are currently evolving and prove a valuable reference tool for future research in this area.

Rapamycin (sirolimus) protects against hypoxic damage in primary heart cultures via Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activation

AIMS

Rapamycin (sirolimus) is an antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis through mammalian targeting of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, and is used as an immunosuppressant in the treatment of organ rejection in transplant recipients. Rapamycin confers preconditioning-like protection against ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse heart cultures. Our aim was to further define the role of rapamycin in intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis and to investigate the mechanism by which rapamycin protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxic damage.

MAIN METHODS

We demonstrate here that rapamycin protects rat heart cultures from hypoxic-reoxygenation (H/R) damage, as revealed by assays of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage to the medium, by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) measurements, and desmin immunostaining. As a result of hypoxia, intracellular calcium levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) were elevated. However, treatment of heart cultures with rapamycin during hypoxia attenuated the increase of [Ca(2+)](i). Rapamycin also attenuated (45)Ca(2+) uptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skinned heart cultures in a dose- and time-dependent manner. KB-R7943, which inhibits the "reverse" mode of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX), protected heart cultures from H/R damage with or without the addition of rapamycin. Rapamycin decreased [Ca(2+)](i) following its elevation by extracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](o)) influx, thapsigargin treatment, or depolarization with KCl.

KEY FINDINGS

We suggest that rapamycin induces cardioprotection against hypoxic/reoxygenation damage in primary heart cultures by stimulating NCX to extrude Ca(2+) outside the cardiomyocytes.

SIGNIFICANCE

According to our findings, rapamycin preserves Ca(2+) homeostasis and prevents Ca(2+) overload via extrusion of Ca(2+) surplus outside the sarcolemma, thereby protecting the cells from hypoxic stress.

[Treatment strategies for chronic total occlusion: current status and outlook]

The present article discusses the current status of treatment strategies for chronic total occlusion (CTO) and the prospects offered by new therapies. The indication for revascularisation recognized in the current European guidelines includes the presence of typical symptoms and evidence of ischemia of over 10% of the total myocardium, while in patients with multiple vascular diseases the aim is complete revascularisation. Although the vast majority of patients with CTO fulfil these criteria, they are currently not receiving interventional treatment as frequently as expected. The reasons often given for this include the low success rates and high recurrence rates. However, both problems have been improved by drug-eluting stents (DES) on the one hand and by wire techniques and strategies on the other, such that results almost comparable with non-occluded coronary lesions can be achieved. While more advanced approaches like retrograde recanalization should be restricted to specialized centres, marked improvements can be achieved even without these special techniques by means of consistent further training and the application of modern techniques. Despite the aggressiveness of these approaches to pass through an occluded artery, the complication rate is not higher than with non-occluded lesions when the specific complications of recanalization are avoided in a careful approach. Further technical improvements are expected with the use of modern imaging techniques such as intravascular ultrasound and high-resolution CT imaging of coronary arteries.

Long-term clinical outcomes of successful versus unsuccessful revascularization with drug-eluting stents for true chronic total occlusion

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with successful versus unsuccessful revascularization with drug-eluting stents (DES) for chronic total occlusion (CTO).

BACKGROUND

The benefits of successful revascularization of CTO remain unclear.

METHODS

Consecutive patients (n = 333) with "true" CTO, defined as Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade 0 on angiography and duration ≥3 months, were divided into two groups, those with successful (CTO success group, n = 251) and unsuccessful (CTO failure group, n = 82) revascularization with DES for CTO lesions. The primary endpoint was defined as major adverse cardiac events (MACE) the composite of death, Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization (TVR).

RESULTS

The CTO success group was significantly younger, with a higher involvement of LAD, and lower incidences of renal failure, previous myocardial infarction, and previous coronary intervention than the CTO failure group. After a median follow up of 1,317 days (interquartile range, 1,059-1,590 days), there were no significant between-group differences in rate of MACE, both after crude analysis (9.4% vs. 11.8%, log-rank P = 0.16) and after adjustment (HR 1.17; 95% CI 0.47-2.88, P = 0.53). On multivariate analysis, major predictors of MACE were left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% (HR 3.14; 95% CI 1.39-7.09, P = 0.005) and multiple CTO (HR 2.38; 95% CI 1.01-5.71, P = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term clinical outcomes were similar in the CTO success and failure groups. Multiple CTOs and LVEF <40% in CTO patients were independent predictors of MACE.

Contemporary success and complication rates of percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total coronary occlusions: results from the ALKK quality control registry of 2006

AIMS

Despite successful prevention of lesion recurrence by drug-eluting stents (DES), and the advancement in procedural techniques in the treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO), the number of CTOs treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still low as compared to their prevalence. This study aims to assess the outcome of PCI for CTOs in a contemporary survey of PCI in interventional centres in Germany.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The basis of this analysis is the 2006 quality assessment database of PCI conducted by the ALKK (working group of cardiology centres). Thirty-five centres contributed to this database, representing about 10% of all interventional centres of Germany. From a total of 20,502 patients, 8,882 patients with stable angina were selected. Of these 674 patients (7.6%) underwent PCI for a CTO. Their procedural characteristics and the hospital outcome were compared with patients treated for non-occlusive lesions. As compared to non-occlusive lesions, less patients underwent ad hoc PCI for a CTO. The fluoroscopy time was almost double of that in non-occlusive lesions, and contrast usage was significantly higher. The success rate was 60.1% as compared to 97.3% (p<0.001). Severe intraprocedural and in-hospital complications were similar for CTO and non-CTO lesions. Almost all patients with a CTO received a stent; DES were used in 53.4%, which was higher than the rate in non-CTO lesions (38.9%; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the success rate for PCI in CTOs is still well below that in non-occlusive lesions, this procedure is safe, encouraging its wider application. The low rate of DES use did not reflect the evidence for DES in CTOs.

Meta-analysis of long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stent implantations for chronic total coronary occlusions

BACKGROUND

In the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs), some uncertainty exists regarding the effect of drug-eluting stents (DESs) compared with the effects of bare mental stents (BMSs). We reviewed outcomes of DES vs. BMS implantation for CTO lesions, to evaluate the risk-benefit ratio of DES implantation.

METHODS

Relevant studies of long-term clinical outcomes or angiographic outcomes of both BMS and DES implantation were examined. The primary endpoint comprised major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), including all-cause deaths, myocardial infarctions (MIs), and target lesion revascularizations (TLRs). A fixed-effect model and random-effect model were used to analyze the pooling results.

RESULTS

Ten studies were included according to the selection criteria. Eight were nonrandomized controlled trials, and two consisted of a randomized controlled comparison between DES and BMS implantation. No significant difference was evident for in-hospital MACE rates between the two groups (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], .53 to 2.13), but the long-term MACE rates in the DES group were significantly lower than in the BMS group (OR, .22; 95% CI, .13 to .38; P < .00001). The rates of stent restenosis and reocclusions were also significantly lower in the DES group (OR, .14; 95% CI, .09 to .20; and OR, .23; 95% CI, .12 to .41, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Implantation of the DES improves long-term angiographic and clinical outcomes compared with BMS in the treatment of CTO lesions.

Short- and long-term follow-up of percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion through transradial approach: tips for successful procedure from a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

 There are limited data regarding transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO).

OBJECTIVE

 To assess the feasibility and safety of transradial coronary intervention (TRI) for CTO lesions, we analyzed our experience in PCI treatment of CTO lesion through transradial approach for the past 6 years.

METHODS

 From January 2003 to May 2009, among 134 CTO lesions, on which we performed PCI, 120 lesions were performed from transradial approach.

RESULTS

 Technical success for transradial CTO was 80%. Complication of access bleeding was zero. The most commonly selected guiding wire was Wave 3 for right coronary artery (RCA) lesions (82%) and Voda left for Left Coronary Artery (LCA) lesions (91%). The average number of wires used during procedure was 2.2 ± 0.8. Tapered wire was used in 8% of the cases, Rotablator was performed in 4.1% of cases, and Tornus catheter was performed in 12.5% of cases. The mean procedure time was 83 ± 39 minutes. The mean volume of contrast medium used was 228 ± 92 mL. There were two coronary artery perforations during procedure and one in-hospital cardiac death. Patients were followed up for 36 ± 21 months; restenosis rate was 19.5%-26.7% for bare metal stent (BMS) and 9.8% for drug-eluting stents (DES). Overall major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate was 11.7%.

CONCLUSION

 It was demonstrated that transradial PCI for CTO lesions is safe, minimizing vascular complications without increasing procedural time and contrast use.

Clinical and angiographic outcomes with sirolimus-eluting stents in total coronary occlusions: the ACROSS/TOSCA-4 (Approaches to Chronic Occlusions With Sirolimus-Eluting Stents/Total Occlusion Study of Coronary Arteries-4) trial

OBJECTIVES

We sought to examine angiographic and clinical outcomes with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in total coronary occlusion (TCO) revascularization.

BACKGROUND

Despite evaluation of drug-eluting stents beyond approved indications, few studies have evaluated their clinical benefit in TCO revascularization.

METHODS

Among 15 centers in North America, 200 consecutive TCO patients (78.8% >6 weeks TCO age) were enrolled for treatment with SES. The primary end point was 6-month angiographic binary restenosis within the treated segment.

RESULTS

Patient characteristics included: diabetes, 24.5%; prior infarction, 33.5%; and stent length, 45.9 mm median (quartile 1, 30.2 mm; quartile 2, 62.1 mm). A total of 199 patients (99.5%) were treated with SES, and procedural success was 98.0%. The 6-month binary restenosis rates were 9.5% in-stent, 12.4% in-segment, and 22.6% in-"working length" representing the entire treatment segment. Rates of 1-year target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, and target vessel failure were 9.8%, 1.0%, and 10.9%, respectively. Stent thrombosis occurred in 2 patients (1.0%). Using logistic regression modeling with propensity score adjustment, the absolute reduction in binary restenosis with SES compared with a historical bare-metal stent control was 37.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 27.2% to 48.3%, p < 0.001; odds ratio: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.30, p < 0.0001). Among 32 patients (16%) identified with stent fracture, target lesion revascularization was more common than patients without fracture (25.0% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite greater lesion complexity than prior TCO trials, percutaneous revascularization with SES appears safe and results in substantial reductions in angiographic restenosis and failed patency and a low rate of repeat revascularization. These findings support the use of SES in TCO revascularization. (The ACROSS/TOSCA Trial; NCT00378612).

Rationale and design of EXPLORE: a randomized, prospective, multicenter trial investigating the impact of recanalization of a chronic total occlusion on left ventricular function in patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Background

In the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention, patients with a chronic total occlusion in a non-infarct related artery were recently identified as a high-risk subgroup. It is unclear whether ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients with a chronic total occlusion in a non-infarct related artery should undergo additional percutaneous coronary intervention of the chronic total occlusion on top of optimal medical therapy shortly after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Possible beneficial effects include reduction in adverse left ventricular remodeling and preservation of global left ventricular function and improved clinical outcome during future coronary events.

Methods/Design

The Evaluating Xience V and left ventricular function in Percutaneous coronary intervention on occLusiOns afteR ST-Elevation myocardial infarction (EXPLORE) trial is a randomized, prospective, multicenter, two-arm trial with blinded evaluation of endpoints. Three hundred patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction with a chronic total occlusion in a non-infarct related artery are randomized to either elective percutaneous coronary intervention of the chronic total occlusion within seven days or standard medical treatment. When assigned to the invasive arm, an everolimus-eluting coronary stent is used. Primary endpoints are left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic volume assessed by cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging at four months. Clinical follow-up will continue until five years.

Discussion

The ongoing EXPLORE trial is the first randomized clinical trial powered to investigate whether recanalization of a chronic total occlusion in a non-infarct related artery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction results in a better preserved residual left ventricular ejection fraction, reduced end-diastolic volume and enhanced clinical outcome.

Trial registration

trialregister.nl NTR1108.