Limited data are available on the long-term effects of contemporary drug-eluting stents versus contemporary bare-metal stents on rates of death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and ...stent thrombosis and on quality of life.
We randomly assigned 9013 patients who had stable or unstable coronary artery disease to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the implantation of either contemporary drug-eluting stents or bare-metal stents. In the group receiving drug-eluting stents, 96% of the patients received either everolimus- or zotarolimus-eluting stents. The primary outcome was a composite of death from any cause and nonfatal spontaneous myocardial infarction after a median of 5 years of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included repeat revascularization, stent thrombosis, and quality of life.
At 6 years, the rates of the primary outcome were 16.6% in the group receiving drug-eluting stents and 17.1% in the group receiving bare-metal stents (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.88 to 1.09; P=0.66). There were no significant between-group differences in the components of the primary outcome. The 6-year rates of any repeat revascularization were 16.5% in the group receiving drug-eluting stents and 19.8% in the group receiving bare-metal stents (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.85; P<0.001); the rates of definite stent thrombosis were 0.8% and 1.2%, respectively (P=0.0498). Quality-of-life measures did not differ significantly between the two groups.
In patients undergoing PCI, there were no significant differences between those receiving drug-eluting stents and those receiving bare-metal stents in the composite outcome of death from any cause and nonfatal spontaneous myocardial infarction. Rates of repeat revascularization were lower in the group receiving drug-eluting stents. (Funded by the Norwegian Research Council and others; NORSTENT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00811772 .).
Objectives. This study investigated whether stenting improves long-term results after recanalization of chronic coronary occlusions.
Background. Restenosis is common after percutaneous transluminal ...coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of chronic coronary occlusions. Stenting has been suggested as a means of improving results, but its use has not previously been investigated in a randomized trial.
Methods. We randomly assigned 119 patients with a satisfactory result after successful recanalization by PTCA of a chronic coronary occlusion to 1) a control (PTCA) group with no other intervention, or 2) a group in which PTCA was followed by implantation of Palmaz-Schatz stents with full anticoagulation. Coronary angiography was performed before randomization, after stenting and at 6-month follow-up.
Results. Inguinal bleeding was more frequent in the stent group. There were no deaths. One patient with stenting had a myocardial infarction. Subacute occlusion within 2 weeks occurred in four patients in the stent group and in three in the PTCA group. At follow-up, 57% of patients with stenting were free from angina compared with 24% of patients with PTCA only (p < 0.001). Angiographic follow-up data were available in 114 patients. Restenosis (≥50% diameter stenosis) developed in 32% of patients with stenting and in 74% of patients with PTCA only (p < 0.001); reocclusion occurred in 12% and 26%, respectively (p = 0.058). Minimal lumen diameter (mean ± SD) at follow-up was 1.92 ± 0.95 mm and 1.11 ± 0.78 mm, respectively (p < 0.001). Target lesion revascularization within 300 days was less frequent in patients with stenting than in patients with PTCA only (22% vs. 42%, p = 0.025).
Conclusions. Stent implantation improved long-term angiographic and clinical results after PTCA of chronic coronary occlusions and is thus recommended regardless of the primary PTCA result.
The relationship between transmitral Doppler blood flow velocities and atrial contribution to left ventricular (LV) filling was investigated in seven open-chest dogs. At LV filling pressures greater ...than 15 to 20 mm Hg, LV volume approaches a maximum. Thus we hypothesized that when LV pressure before the onset of atrial systole exceeds this level, the atrial contribution would decrease and the ratio between peak early (E) and atrial-induced (A) mitral velocities would increase. Atrial contribution was measured as LV diameter increase during atrial contraction expressed as a percentage of the total LV diameter change during diastole (sonomicrometry). When left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was progressively increased from 10 +/- 1 (mean +/- standard deviation) to 28 +/- 3 mm Hg by intravenous saline solution, the atrial contribution decreased from 34 +/- 14% to 8 +/- 10% (p less than 0.001). Concomitantly the A velocity decreased from 39 +/- 7 to 24 +/- 8 cm.sec-1 (p less than 0.01), and the E/A ratio increased from 1.8 +/- 0.3 to 3.6 +/- 1.5 (p less than 0.001). The E/A ratio and the atrial contribution were constant until LVEDP exceeded 17 to 20 mm Hg, at which level marked changes in both parameters were noted. Thus when LV filling pressure was increased, the E/A ratio increased, indicating a filling shift towards early diastole. The reduced atrial contribution during increased preload was explained by the curvilinear shape of the LV pressure-volume curve. At markedly elevated filling pressures, near-maximum LV diameter was achieved before atrial contraction; hence the atrial contribution decreased and the E/A ratio increased.
The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical and angiographic benefits of elective stenting in coronary arteries with a reference diameter of 2.1 to 3.0 mm, as compared with traditional ...percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
The problems related to small-vessel stenting might be overcome using modern stents designed for small vessels, combined with effective antiplatelet therapy.
In five centers, 145 patients with stable or unstable angina were randomly assigned to elective stenting treatment with the heparin (Hepamed)-coated beStent or PTCA. Control angiography was performed after six months. The primary end point was the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) at follow-up. Secondary end points were the restenosis rate, event-free survival and angina status.
At follow-up, there was a trend toward a larger MLD in the stent group (1.69 +/- 0.52 mm vs. 1.57 +/- 0.44 mm, p = 0.096). Event-free survival at follow-up was significantly higher in the stent group: 90.5% vs. 76.1% (p = 0.016). The restenosis rate was low in both groups (9.7% and 18.8% in the stent and PTCA groups, respectively; p = 0.15). Analyzed as treated, both the MLD and restenosis rate were significantly improved in patients who had stents as compared with PTCA.
In small coronary arteries, both PTCA and elective stenting are associated with good clinical and angiographic outcomes after six months. Compared with PTCA, elective treatment with the heparin-coated beStent improves the clinical outcome; however, there was only a nonsignificant trend toward angiographic improvement.
In a randomized multicenter study initial success rate and 6 months' follow-up were compared between coronary angioplasty performed with the Barath Cutting Balloon (group A, n = 32) and conventional ...balloons (group B, n = 32) in patients with type A or B lesions in native coronary arteries. The culprit lesion was not reached in one patient in group A. Initial success rates were similar with and without additional stenting (8 in group A and 10 in group B). Angiographic follow-up data (in 95%) revealed a non-significant improvement in minimal lumen diameter, diameter stenosis in group A. Restenosis developed in 16.7% of group A vs 25.8% of group B, (p = 0.57). A separate analysis of stented patients showed no restenosis in group A and restenosis in 4 out of 10 patients in group B (p = 0.10). A possible beneficial effect of the Cutting Balloon with respect to in-stent restenosis requires further studies.
Objectives. This study assessed the long-term clinical outcome of stenting chronic occlusions.
Background. In the Stenting in Chronic Coronary Occlusion (SICCO) study, patients were randomized to ...additional stent implantation (n = 58) or not (n = 59) after successful recanalization and dilation of a chronic coronary occlusion. Palmaz-Schatz stents were used with full anticoagulation. The previously published 6-month angiographic follow-up results showed reduction of the restenosis rate from 74% to 32%.
Methods. The primary end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (cardiac death, lesion-related acute myocardial infarction, repeat lesion-related revascularization or angiographic documentation of reocclusion).
Results. Late clinical follow-up was obtained in all patients at 33 ± 6 months. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 14 patients (24.1%) in the stent group compared with 35 patients (59.3%) in the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) group (odds ratio 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.10 to 0.49, p = 0.0002). Target vessel revascularization (including failed PTCA attempts) was performed in 24% of the stent group and in 53% of the PTCA group (p = 0.002). There were no events in the stent group after 8 months, whereas events continued to occur in the PTCA group. By multivariate analysis, allocation to the PTCA group, left anterior descending coronary artery lesion and lesion length were significantly related to the development of major adverse cardiac events.
Conclusions. These data demonstrate the long-term safety and clinical benefit of stenting recanalized chronic occlusions. There is a continued risk of late clinical events related to nonstented lesions. Implantation of an intracoronary stent should therefore be considered after successful opening of a chronic coronary occlusion.
To assess the validity of locally performed off-line quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) measurement in clinical trials, we carried out a comparative study between on-site QCA analysis and ...analysis performed at an independent external core laboratory. One local operator analyzed the pre, post and follow-up angiograms of 116 patients participating in the Stenting in Small Coronary Arteries Study (SISCA) prior to final QCA analysis in the core laboratory. The mean values of the reference diameter (RD), minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and diameter stenosis (DS) showed acceptable agreement between study site and core laboratory. However, on the level of individuals the interobserver differences were large, affecting the outcome of restenosis rate significantly, and in a such way that the conclusions in the SISCA trial might have come out differently if a core laboratory had not been used. This emphasizes the importance of using independent core laboratories in coronary interventional trials.
Isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and events of early transmitral flow measured by Doppler echocardiography were validated against the time constant of left ventricular relaxation (tau) in open-chest ...dogs. During increased inotropy (by isoproterenol infusion) at constant preload, enhancement of relaxation was indicated by a decrease in tau from 48 +/- 12 (mean +/- SD) to 33 +/- 5 msec (p = 0.04) with a concomitant decrease in IVRT from 74 +/- 18 to 38 +/- 8 msec (p = 0.03). During decreased inotropy (by propranolol infusion) at constant preload, slowing of relaxation was indicated by an increase in tau from 40 +/- 8 to 51 +/- 13 msec (p = 0.02) with a concomitant increase in IVRT from 71 +/- 15 to 83 +/- 21 msec (p less than 0.05). A significant correlation between changes in tau and changes in IVRT was found (r = 0.66, p less than 0.001). In contrast, when left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was increased from 7 +/- 2 to 24 +/- 4 mm Hg at constant inotropy, tau increased from 47 +/- 14 to 64 +/- 25 msec (p = 0.03), whereas no change in IVRT was observed (76 +/- 19 and 71 +/- 19 msec, respectively). Aortic pressure was not significantly changed during any intervention, and heart rate was kept constant by pacing. Peak early transmitral velocity was unchanged by propranolol but increased during isoproterenol and saline infusion (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.01, respectively).
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical and angiographic benefits of elective stenting in coronary arteries with a reference diameter of 2.1 to 3.0 mm, as compared with ...traditional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
BACKGROUND
The problems related to small-vessel stenting might be overcome using modern stents designed for small vessels, combined with effective antiplatelet therapy.
METHODS
In five centers, 145 patients with stable or unstable angina were randomly assigned to elective stenting treatment with the heparin (Hepamed)-coated beStent or PTCA. Control angiography was performed after six months. The primary end point was the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) at follow-up. Secondary end points were the restenosis rate, event-free survival and angina status.
RESULTS
At follow-up, there was a trend toward a larger MLD in the stent group (1.69 ± 0.52 mm vs. 1.57 ± 0.44 mm, p = 0.096). Event-free survival at follow-up was significantly higher in the stent group: 90.5% vs. 76.1% (p = 0.016). The restenosis rate was low in both groups (9.7% and 18.8% in the stent and PTCA groups, respectively; p = 0.15). Analyzed as treated, both the MLD and restenosis rate were significantly improved in patients who had stents as compared with PTCA.
CONCLUSIONS
In small coronary arteries, both PTCA and elective stenting are associated with good clinical and angiographic outcomes after six months. Compared with PTCA, elective treatment with the heparin-coated beStent improves the clinical outcome; however, there was only a nonsignificant trend toward angiographic improvement.