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

Clinical and procedural characteristics of persons living with HIV presenting with acute coronary syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Practice patterns of ACS management by HIV serostatus are unknown. We examined the presentation and management of ACS in PLWH.

DESIGN

Retrospective case-control study.

METHODS

We included 86 PLWH and 263 sex-matched and race-matched HIV-negative controls hospitalized with ACS between 2004 and 2013. We performed multivariable conditional logistic regression to determine the associations between HIV serostatus and ACS type and management.

RESULTS

Both groups were predominantly of black race and male sex. PLWH were significantly younger (53 vs. 60 years) and more likely to smoke (48 vs. 31%). Among PLWH, 30% had CD4 cell count less than 200 cells/μl and 58% had undetectable HIV RNA. PLWH had more single-vessel disease and a higher median Gensini score among those with single-vessel disease (32 vs. 4.25) than controls. HIV serostatus was positively associated with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) (95% confidence interval (CI)):5.05 (1.82-14.02)], and any revascularization procedure after ACS [aOR (95% CI): 2.90 (1.01-8.39)] and negatively associated with non-STEMI [aOR (95% CI): 0.33 (0.14-0.79)] presentation. PLWH who underwent stent placement had a higher likelihood of bare metal stent placement compared with controls [70 vs. 15%, aOR (95% CI): 5.94 (1.33-26.55)]. Among PLWH, ACS characteristics were not significantly associated with CD4 cell count, HIV RNA, or antiretroviral therapy.

CONCLUSION

PLWH hospitalized with ACS were more likely to have severe single-vessel disease, present with STEMI rather than non-STEMI, and undergo revascularization, and less likely to have a drug-eluting stent placed than matched HIV-negative controls, suggesting that coronary plaque morphology and/or distribution is different with HIV infection and warrants further investigation.

Comparison of 12-month clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with chronic total occlusion lesions: a multicenter study

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

This study aimed to compare 1-year clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions.

Coronary stenting approaches in the treatment of chronic total occlusion: contemporary registry-based experience

AIMS

This 'real-world' investigation attempted to determine the long-term prognoses of patients who have undergone successful revascularization of chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions.

METHODS

All consecutive unselected patients from January 2006 to June 2011, undergoing stenting for CTO (n = 272), were retrospectively identified through an institutional registry. Procedural failure was defined as final diameter stenosis greater than 30% or postdilatation thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow less than 3. Outcomes were assessed based on stenting type [bare metal stent (BMS), drug-eluting stent (DES), or mixed] in the successful procedural cohort. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to account for known baseline cardiovascular risk imbalances. The primary endpoint was 2-year target vessel revascularization.

RESULTS

Overall procedural failure occurred in 55 (20.2%) patients presenting with CTO lesions. Failed revascularization was independently associated with multivessel disease, lesion lengths greater than 15 mm, tortuous segments, and presence of calcifications. Major complications included coronary dissection (10%) and perforation (2%). Of the successful procedures, 141 (64%) underwent pure DES, 46 (21%) pure BMS, and 34 (15%) mixed stenting. At 2-year follow-up, fewer patients in the DES group required repeat revascularization compared to the mixed stenting group (6 vs. 26%; P = 0.002). Mixed stenting was an independent predictor of long-term target vessel revascularization (adjusted odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1-4.1, P = 0.02) compared to DES.

CONCLUSIONS

Failed revascularization of CTO lesions occurs in a fifth of patients and appears to be associated with complex vessel anatomy. Our data suggest that DES use in this setting are associated with improved 2-year clinical endpoints compared with pure BMS or mixed stenting approaches.

Current application and bioavailability of drug-eluting stents

INTRODUCTION

Drug-eluting stents (DES) were developed to reduce the restenosis rate of bare metal stents (BMS) and comprises three main components: i) a metallic scaffold; ii) an antiproliferative drug to reduce or abolish the formation of the neointima; and iii) the polymer, which both enables and controls drug elution into the vessel wall. Over the years, growing evidence has been reported on the safety and efficacy for different indications of DES.

AREAS COVERED

Since the introduction of first-generation DES, the technology has been refined, including changes in the alloy, stent design, polymer, drug and drug dose. In 2014, we will usher in a third generation of DES, which will include biodegradable polymers, polymer-free DES and bioabsorbable scaffolds.

EXPERT OPINION

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in DES development. The BMS platform set the groundwork for the development of metal scaffolds with drug-eluting capability to prevent restenosis. Importantly, extensive research has shown long-term safety and efficacy of the newer generation DES. Available data suggest that DES can be safely and effectively used to treat a complex subset of patients and lesions, including patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction, lesions in saphenous vein grafts, chronic total occlusions, multivessel disease, small vessels, long lesions and bifurcations. One of the safety targets is to eliminate stent thrombosis.

The evolution of coronary stents: a brief review

Percutaneous coronary intervention is the most prevalent method for coronary artery revascularization. Initial interventions using balloon angioplasty had limited efficacy because coronary dissections, arterial recoil, and neointimal formation led to high rates of abrupt vessel closure and clinical restenosis. With the introduction of coronary stents, vascular dissections were stabilized and arterial recoil was eliminated, but neointimal accumulation remained problematic, resulting in the development of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in 20%-30% of cases. Drug-eluting stents (DESs) were developed to release antiproliferative agents at the site of arterial injury to attenuate neointimal formation. Although DESs have incrementally improved outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention, delayed re-endothelialization and stent thrombosis remain important challenges. Herein we review the pathophysiology of ISR, stent thrombosis, and briefly summarize the clinical evidence behind first- and second-generation DESs. Moreover, we discuss advancements in our understanding of the pathogenesis of ISR and potential novel therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes.