Summary Background The safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) in the treatment of coronary artery disease have been assessed in several randomised trials. However, none of these trials were ...powered to assess the safety and efficacy of DES in women because only a small proportion of recruited participants were women. We therefore investigated the safety and efficacy of DES in female patients during long-term follow-up. Methods We pooled patient-level data for female participants from 26 randomised trials of DES and analysed outcomes according to stent type (bare-metal stents, early-generation DES, and newer-generation DES). The primary safety endpoint was a composite of death or myocardial infarction. The secondary safety endpoint was definite or probable stent thrombosis. The primary efficacy endpoint was target-lesion revascularisation. Analysis was by intention to treat. Findings Of 43 904 patients recruited in 26 trials of DES, 11 557 (26·3%) were women (mean age 67·1 years SD 10·6). 1108 (9·6%) women received bare-metal stents, 4171 (36·1%) early-generation DES, and 6278 (54·3%) newer-generation DES. At 3 years, estimated cumulative incidence of the composite of death or myocardial infarction occurred in 132 (12·8%) women in the bare-metal stent group, 421 (10·9%) in the early-generation DES group, and 496 (9·2%) in the newer-generation DES group (p=0·001). Definite or probable stent thrombosis occurred in 13 (1·3%), 79 (2·1%), and 66 (1·1%) women in the bare-metal stent, early-generation DES, and newer-generation DES groups, respectively (p=0·01). The use of DES was associated with a significant reduction in the 3 year rates of target-lesion revascularisation (197 18·6% women in the bare-metal stent group, 294 7·8% in the early-generation DES group, and 330 6·3% in the newer-generation DES group, p<0·0001). Results did not change after adjustment for baseline characteristics in the multivariable analysis. Interpretation The use of DES in women is more effective and safe than is use of bare-metal stents during long-term follow-up. Newer-generation DES are associated with an improved safety profile compared with early-generation DES, and should therefore be thought of as the standard of care for percutaneous coronary revascularisation in women. Funding Women in Innovation Initiative of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
Although trials comparing antiplatelet strategies after percutaneous coronary intervention report average risks of bleeding and ischemia in a population, there is limited information to guide choices ...based on individual patient risks, particularly beyond 1 year after treatment. Patient-level data from Patient Related Outcomes With Endeavor vs Cypher Stenting Trial (PROTECT), a broadly inclusive trial enrolling 8,709 subjects treated with drug-eluting stents (sirolimus vs zotarolimus-eluting stent), and PROTECT US, a single-arm study including 1,018 subjects treated with a zotarolimus-eluting stent, were combined. The risk of ischemic events, cardiovascular death/non-periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI)/definite or probable stent thrombosis, and bleeding events, Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries moderate or severe bleed, were predicted using logistic regression. At median follow-up of 4.1 years, major bleeding occurred in 260 subjects (2.8%) and ischemic events in 595 (6.3%). Multivariate predictors of bleeding were older age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (all p <0.05). Ischemic events shared all the same predictors with bleeding events and gender, body mass index, previous MI, previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery, ST-segment elevation MI on presentation, stent length, and sirolimus-eluting stent use (all p <0.05). Within individual subjects, bleeding and ischemic risks were strongly correlated; 97% of subjects had a greater risk of ischemic events than bleeding. In conclusion, individual patient risks of ischemia and bleeding are related to many common risk factors, yet the predicted risks of ischemic events are greater than those of major bleeding in the large majority of patients in long-term follow-up.
The long-term risk associated with different coronary artery disease (CAD) presentations in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) is poorly ...characterized. We pooled patient-level data for women enrolled in 26 randomized clinical trials. Of 11,577 women included in the pooled database, 10,133 with known clinical presentation received a DES. Of them, 5,760 (57%) had stable angina pectoris (SAP), 3,594 (35%) had unstable angina pectoris (UAP) or non–ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and 779 (8%) had ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) as clinical presentation. A stepwise increase in 3-year crude cumulative mortality was observed in the transition from SAP to STEMI (4.9% vs 6.1% vs 9.4%; p <0.01). Conversely, no differences in crude mortality rates were observed between 1 and 3 years across clinical presentations. After multivariable adjustment, STEMI was independently associated with greater risk of 3-year mortality (hazard ratio HR 3.45; 95% confidence interval CI 1.99 to 5.98; p <0.01), whereas no differences were observed between UAP or NSTEMI and SAP (HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.34; p = 0.94). In women with ACS, use of new-generation DES was associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiac events (HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.98). The magnitude and direction of the effect with new-generation DES was uniform between women with or without ACS (pinteraction = 0.66). In conclusion, in women across the clinical spectrum of CAD, STEMI was associated with a greater risk of long-term mortality. Conversely, the adjusted risk of mortality between UAP or NSTEMI and SAP was similar. New-generation DESs provide improved long-term clinical outcomes irrespective of the clinical presentation in women.
Studies have indicated varying mortality risks with timing of stent thrombosis (ST), but few have been adequately powered with prospective late follow-up. PROTECT randomized 8,709 subjects to either ...Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting or Cypher sirolimus-eluting stents. PROTECT Continued Access enrolled 1,018 patients treated with Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stents. Subjects completed at least 4 and 3 years of follow-up, respectively. ARC-defined definite and probable ST events were stratified by time from index procedure: early (≤30 days), late (>30 and ≤360 days), and very late (>360 days). Rates of death and myocardial infarction were analyzed by ST timing. Median follow-up was 4.1 years. There were 184 ST events (1.9%): 61 early, 27 late, and 96 very late. Patient and procedural characteristics were similar between timing groups. There was no difference in dual-antiplatelet therapy use at discharge (97%) or 1 year (84%). Cardiac death in patients with ST at 4 years occurred in 32.1% compared with 2.5% in patients without ST (p <0.001). Combined rates of cardiac death and myocardial infarction did not differ according to ST timing, yet early ST was more commonly associated with cardiac death at 4 years than later ST (50.8% for early vs 18.5% for late vs 24.0% for very late; p <0.001). The relation between ST timing and outcomes did not differ between stent types. In conclusion, in prospective data, cardiac death was more common after early ST than later ST. Although ST remains infrequent, continued efforts to determine how to reduce ST, particularly within the first 30 days, are warranted. (The PROTECT trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00476957 .)
Abstract Objectives This study sought to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation according to lesion location within or outside the proximal left anterior ...descending (LAD) artery. Background Proximal LAD artery involvement is considered uniquely in revascularization guidelines. The impact of LAD lesion location on long-term outcomes after revascularization is poorly understood in context of current percutaneous coronary intervention and medical therapy. Methods Among 8,709 patients enrolled in PROTECT (Patient Related Outcomes with Endeavor Versus Cypher Stenting Trial), a multicenter percutaneous coronary intervention trial, we compared the outcomes of 2,534 patients (29.1%) (3,871 lesions 31.5%) with stents implanted in the proximal LAD to 6,172 patients (70.9%) (8,419 lesions 68.5%) with stents implanted outside the proximal LAD. Results At the 4-year follow-up, death rates were the same (5.8% vs. 5.8%; p > 0.999), but more myocardial infarctions occurred in the proximal LAD group (6.2% vs. 4.9%; p = 0.015). The rate of clinically driven target vessel failure (TVF) (14.8% vs. 13.5%; p = 0.109), major adverse cardiac event(s) (MACE) (15.0% vs. 13.7%; hazard ratio: 1.1; 95% confidence interval: 0.97 to 1.31; p = 0.139), and stent thrombosis (2.1% vs. 2.0%; p = 0.800) were similar. Drug-eluting stent type had no interaction with MACE or TVF. In multivariate analysis, the proximal LAD was a predictor of myocardial infarction (p = 0.038) but not of TVF (p = 0.149) or MACE (p = 0.069). Conclusions In this study of contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention, proximal LAD location was associated with higher rates of myocardial infarction during the long-term follow-up, but there were no differences in stent thrombosis, death, TVF, or overall MACE. This finding may suggest that, in the drug-eluting stent era, proximal LAD no longer confers a different prognosis than other lesion sites. (Randomized Study Comparing Endeavor With Cypher Stents PROTECT; NCT00476957 )
The prevalence of factors that are associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis (ST), including smoking, diabetes mellitus, and small stent size, is different in women and men who underwent ...percutaneous coronary intervention. Thus, gender may potentially modify the relation between stent type and the incidence of ST during long-term follow-up. We explored the data of Patient Related Outcomes With Endeavor Versus Cypher stenting Trial (PROTECT) to evaluate this hypothesis. PROTECT randomized 2,061 women and 6,648 men who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for various indications to Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stenting (E-ZES) or Cypher sirolimus-eluting stenting (C-SES). Dual antiplatelet therapy was prescribed for at least 3 months. Data on study end points were collected until 5 years after randomization, including ST, death, and cardiovascular events. We analyzed end points and treatment effect (E-ZES vs C-SES) in relation to gender. Women were on average 4.7 years older (65.8 vs 61.1), had a higher prevalence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, were less often smokers, and had a shorter total stent length than men. At discharge and throughout follow-up, a slightly lower fraction of women were using dual antiplatelet therapy. During 5-year follow-up, definite or probable ST was observed in 36 women (1.8%) and 152 men (2.4%; log-rank p = 0.15). E-ZES reduced the incidence of ST compared with C-SES in women (hazard ratio 0.58) and men (hazard ratio 0.61), with no evidence of heterogeneity (p = 0.89). In conclusion, in PROTECT, women and men had similar cumulative incidence of ST at 5 years after stent placement. The favorable effect of the study stent E-ZES over C-SES was not modified by gender.
Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) versus early-generation DES in women undergoing complex ...percutaneous coronary intervention (CPCI). Background Whether the benefits of new-generation DES are preserved in women undergoing complex percutaneous revascularization is unknown. Methods We pooled patient-level data from women enrolled in 26 randomized trials of DES. Study population was categorized according to the presence or absence of CPCI, which was defined as the composite of total stent length >30 mm, ≥2 stents implanted, ≥2 lesions treated, or bifurcation lesion as target vessel. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization at 3 years of follow-up. Results Of 10,241 women included in the pooled database, 4,629 (45%) underwent CPCI. Compared with non-CPCI, women who underwent CPCI had a higher 3-year risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio HR: 1.63; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.45 to 1.83; p < 0.0001). In women who underwent CPCI, use of new-generation DES was associated with significantly lower 3-year risk of MACE (adjusted HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.96), target lesion revascularization (adjusted HR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.95), and definite or probable stent thrombosis (ST) (adjusted HR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.83). The benefit of new-generation DES on efficacy and safety outcomes was uniform between CPCI and non-CPCI groups, without evidence of interaction. By landmark analysis, new-generation DES were associated with low rates (≤0.4%) of very-late ST irrespective of procedural complexity. Conclusions Women undergoing CPCI remain at higher risk of adverse events. The long-term ischemic benefits of new-generation DES platforms are uniform among complex and non-complex percutaneous revascularization procedures in women.
Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical correlates and prognostic impact of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in women undergoing percutaneous coronary ...intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES). Background The clinical correlates and the prognostic significance of CAC in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with DES remain unclear. Methods Patient-level data from female participants in 26 randomized trials of DES were pooled. Study population was categorized according to the presence of moderate or severe versus mild or no target lesion CAC, assessed through coronary angiography. Co–primary endpoints of interest were the composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization and death, MI, or stent thrombosis at 3-year follow-up. Results Among 11,557 women included in the pooled dataset, CAC status was available in 6,371 women. Of these, 1,622 (25.5%) had moderate or severe CAC. In fully adjusted models, independent correlates of CAC were age, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and worse left ventricular and renal function. At 3 years, women with CAC were at higher risk for death, MI, or target lesion revascularization (18.2% vs. 13.1%; adjusted hazard ratio: 1.56; 95% confidence interval: 1.33 to 1.84; p < 0.0001) and death, MI, or stent thrombosis (12.7% vs. 8.6%; adjusted hazard ratio: 1.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.21 to 1.80; p = 0.0001). The adverse effect of CAC on ischemic outcomes appeared to be consistent across clinical and angiographic subsets of women, including new-generation DES. Conclusions Women undergoing PCI of calcified lesions tend to have worse clinical profile and remain at increased ischemic risk, irrespective of new-generation DES.
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.
Abstract Objectives This study sought to evaluate: 1) the effect of impaired renal function on long-term clinical outcomes in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with ...drug-eluting stent (DES); and 2) the safety and efficacy of new-generation compared with early-generation DES in women with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Background The prevalence and effect of CKD in women undergoing PCI with DES is unclear. Methods We pooled patient-level data for women enrolled in 26 randomized trials. The study population was categorized by creatinine clearance (CrCl) <45 ml/min, 45 to 59 ml/min, and ≥60 ml/min. The primary endpoint was the 3-year rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Participants for whom baseline creatinine was missing were excluded from the analysis. Results Of 4,217 women included in the pooled cohort treated with DES and for whom serum creatinine was available, 603 (14%) had a CrCl <45 ml/min, 811 (19%) had a CrCl 45 to 59 ml/min, and 2,803 (66%) had a CrCl ≥60 ml/min. A significant stepwise gradient in risk for MACE was observed with worsening renal function (26.6% vs. 15.8% vs. 12.9%; p < 0.01). Following multivariable adjustment, CrCl <45 ml/min was independently associated with a higher risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.56; 95% confidence interval: 1.23 to 1.98) and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.67; 95% confidence interval: 1.85 to 3.85). Compared with older-generation DES, the use of newer-generation DES was associated with a reduction in the risk of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis in women with CKD. The effect of new-generation DES on outcomes was uniform, between women with or without CKD, without evidence of interaction. Conclusions Among women undergoing PCI with DES, CKD is a common comorbidity associated with a strong and independent risk for MACE that is durable over 3 years. The benefits of newer-generation DES are uniform in women with or without CKD.