The risk of definitive stent thrombosis is increased after “off-label” stent implantation irrespective of drug-eluting stent or bare-metal stent use

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.

Major determinants for the uncovered stent struts on optical coherence tomography after drug-eluting stent implantation

There have been little data regarding major determinants for the uncovered stent struts after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation on optical coherence tomography (OCT). We investigated the major determinants of incomplete neointimal coverage of DES struts on OCT after implantation in a large cohort of patients. A total of 261 patients with 279 lesions who were treated with various DESs were selected from the OCT registry database. The lesions were divided into two groups based on the ratio of uncovered struts to total struts in all OCT cross-sections; an uncovered group (highest quartile with % uncovered struts ≥5.4%, n = 70), and covered group (the remaining lower quartiles with % uncovered struts <5.4%, n = 209). The uncovered group was more likely to have complex lesions, smaller reference vessel and stent diameter, and longer stent, more use of sirolimus-eluting stents, and less use of zotarolimus-eluting stents compared with the covered group. Of these variables, the most significant determinant of uncovered stent struts was DES type (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.94-3.89, P < 0.001). The use of sirolimus-eluting stents (OR = 2.44, 95% CI, 1.15-5.47, P = 0.023) and zotarolimus-eluting stents (OR = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01-0.25, P = 0.002) were the only significant risk and protective factors for uncovered stent struts, respectively. This study demonstrated that DES type might be associated with the most important determinants of uncovered struts compared to any other clinical or angiographic factor.

Comparison between on-label versus off-label use of drug-eluting coronary stents in clinical practice: results from the German DES.DE-Registry

BACKGROUND

Observational studies from the USA have demonstrated that off-label use of drug-eluting stents (DES) is common. Data on off-label use in Western Europe are limited.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of consecutive patients receiving DES prospectively enrolled in the multicenter German DES.DE registry (Deutsches Drug-Eluting Stent Register) between October 2005 and October 2006. Off-label use was defined in the presence of one of the following criteria: ST-elevation myocardial infarction, in-stent stenosis, chronic total occlusion, lesions in a bypass graft, in bifurcation or left main stem, stent length per lesion ≥32 mm, and vessel diameter <2.5 or >3.5 mm.

RESULTS

Overall, 4,295 patients were included in this analysis and divided into two groups: 2,366 (55.1%) received DES for off-label and 1,929 (44.9%) for on-label indications. There were substantial differences in the rates of off-label use at the participating hospitals. Patients with off-label DES more often presented with high-risk features such as acute coronary syndrome, cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure, and more complex coronary anatomy. Among hospital survivors, the incidence of the composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction and stroke (MACCE) (9.2 vs. 7.4%, p < 0.05), and target vessel revascularization (TVR) (11.3 vs. 9.1%, p < 0.05) was increased in the off-label group at the 1-year follow-up. However, in the multivariate analysis off-label use was not linked with an elevated risk for MACCE (hazard ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.62-1.18) and TVR (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.42).

CONCLUSIONS

In clinical practice, DES was very frequently used off-label. After adjustment for confounding variables, off-label use was not associated with an increase of adverse events.

Clinical outcomes in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with drug-eluting stents: results from the first phase of the prospective multicenter German DES.DE registry

BACKGROUND

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) undergoing coronary revascularization are at increased risk for adverse outcomes. Without sufficiently powered data from diabetic subgroup analyses and in absence of randomized controlled trials in diabetic patients with primary clinical outcomes controversy is ongoing over safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) in diabetic patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Between October 2005 and October 2006, 1,659 diabetic and 3,559 non-diabetic patients treated with DES (Paclitaxel or Sirolimus-eluting stents) were enrolled at 98 Drug-Eluting-Stent.DEutschland (DES.DE) sites. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, as well as target vessel revascularization (TVR) were defined as primary endpoints. The baseline clinical and descriptive morphology of coronary artery disease revealed more severe findings in diabetic patients. At 1-year follow-up, diabetic patients treated with DES had significantly higher rates for overall death (5.6 vs. 3.4%; p < 0.01), myocardial infarction (4.8 vs. 3.4%; p = 0.05), stroke (1.7 vs. 0.9%; p < 0.05), MACCE (10.9 vs. 7.1%; p < 0.001), and overall stent thrombosis (4.9 vs. 3.3%; p < 0.01) with slightly elevated rates for TVR (12.0 vs. 10.4%; p = 0.17); data which remained after risk-adjustment.

CONCLUSION

Data collected in DES.DE revealed that despite the use of DES the risk of myocardial infarction, death, and thrombotic events remains higher in diabetic patients.