Comparison of three age groups regarding safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry)

Safety and Efficacy of Contemporary Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and a High Ischemic Risk

Background

In patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with a high risk of ischemic events, the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stent (DES) are unclear.

Methods

Based on the nationwide, multicenter, prospective registry, we selected 1,592 patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-(EES) and zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) for STEMI with a high risk of an ischemic event. The occurrence of target lesion failure (TLF) for 3 years, defined as the composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI), and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR), was evaluated.

Results

The prevalence of high ischemic risk features was observed in 43.4% (2,744/6,325) of overall patients with STEMI. Among them, a total of 1,078 and 514 patients were treated with EES and ZES, respectively. At 3 years, the risk of TLF was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.93). In addition, the incidence of cardiac death, TV-MI, ID-TLR, and definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST) were also not different between the two groups. Moreover, elderly patients (age > 75 years) and PCI for the left main disease were identified as independent predictors of TLF.

Conclusion

Implantation of EES or ZES provided comparable clinical outcomes in STEMI patients and high ischemic risks.

Safety and efficacy of second-generation drug-eluting stents compared with bare-metal stents: An updated meta-analysis and regression of 9 randomized clinical trials

The efficacy of second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES; eg, everolimus and zotarolimus) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention was challenged recently by new evidence from large clinical trials. Thus, we aimed to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of second-generation DES compared with BMS. Electronic databases were systematically searched for all RCTs comparing second-generation DES with BMS and reporting clinical outcomes. The primary efficacy outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE); the primary safety outcome was definite stent thrombosis. The DerSimonian and Laird method was used for estimation of summary risk ratios (RR). A total of 9 trials involving 17 682 patients were included in the final analysis. Compared with BMS, second-generation DES were associated with decreased incidence of MACE (RR: 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.88), driven by the decreased incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) (RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48-0.95), target-lesion revascularization (RR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.42-0.53), definite stent thrombosis (RR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.41-0.78), and definite/probable stent thrombosis (RR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38-0.80). The incidence of all-cause mortality was similar between groups (RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.79-1.10). Meta-regression showed lower incidences of MI with DES implantation in elderly and diabetic patients (P = 0.026 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Compared with BMS, second-generation DES appear to be associated with a lower incidence of MACE, mainly driven by lower rates of target-lesion revascularization, MI, and stent thrombosis. However, all-cause mortality appears similar between groups.

Outcomes in Elderly Patients With Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions Undergoing Orbital Atherectomy

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the clinical outcomes of elderly patients who underwent orbital atherectomy for the treatment of severe coronary artery calcification (CAC) prior to stenting.

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of severe CAC is associated with worse clinical outcomes including death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR). The elderly represents a high-risk group of patients, often have more comorbid conditions, and have worse outcomes after PCI compared to younger patients. Clinical trials and a large multicenter registry have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of orbital atherectomy for the treatment of severe CAC. Clinical outcomes of elderly patients who undergo orbital atherectomy are unknown.

METHODS

Of the 458 patients, 229 were ≥75 years old (elderly) and 229 were <75 years old (younger). The primary endpoint was rate of 30-day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), comprised of cardiac death, MI, TVR, and stroke.

RESULTS

The primary endpoint was similar in the elderly and younger groups (2.2% vs. 2.2%, P = 1), as were the individual endpoints of death (2.2% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.1), MI (0.9% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.65), TVR (0% vs. 0%, P = 1), and stroke (0% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.32). The rates of angiographic complications and stent thrombosis were similarly low in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The elderly represented a sizeable number of patients who underwent orbital atherectomy. It is a safe and effective treatment strategy for elderly patients with severe CAC as the clinical outcomes were similar to their younger counterparts. A randomized trial should further clarify the role of orbital atherectomy in these patients.

Can the optimal type of stent be predicted based on clinical risk factors? A subgroup analysis of the randomized BASKET-PROVE trial

BACKGROUND

The randomized BASKET-PROVE study showed no significant differences between sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), everolimus-eluting stents (EES), and bare-metal stents (BMS) with respect to the primary end point, rates of death from cardiac causes, or myocardial infarction (MI) at 2 years of follow-up, in patients requiring stenting of a large coronary artery. Clinical risk factors may affect clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions. We present a retrospective analysis of the BASKET-PROVE data addressing the question as to whether the optimal type of stent can be predicted based on a cumulative clinical risk score.

METHODS

A total of 2,314 patients (mean age 66 years) who underwent coronary angioplasty and implantation of ≥1 stents that were ≥3.0 mm in diameter were randomly assigned to receive SES, EES, or BMS. A cumulative clinical risk score was derived using a Cox model that included age, gender, cardiovascular risk factors (hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, smoking), presence of ≥2 comorbidities (stroke, peripheral artery disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic rheumatic disease), a history of MI or coronary revascularization, and clinical presentation (stable angina, unstable angina, ST-segment elevation MI).

RESULTS

An aggregate drug-eluting stent (DES) group (n = 1,549) comprising 775 patients receiving SES and 774 patients receiving EES was compared to 765 patients receiving BMS. Rates of death from cardiac causes or nonfatal MI at 2 years of follow-up were significantly increased in patients who were in the high tertile of risk stratification for the clinical risk score compared to those who were in the aggregate low-mid tertiles. In patients with a high clinical risk score, rates of death from cardiac causes or nonfatal MI were lower in patients receiving DES (2.4 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 1.6-3.6) compared with BMS (5.5 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 3.7-8.2, hazard ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.26-0.80, P = .007). However, they were not significantly different between receivers of DES and BMS in patients in the low-mid risk tertiles.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory analysis suggests that, in patients who require stenting of a large coronary artery, use of a clinical risk score may identify those patients for whom DES use may confer a clinical advantage over BMS, beyond lower restenosis rates.

Patient-tailored Drug-eluting Stent Choice - A Solution for Patients with Diabetes: Proceedings of Two Satellite Symposia Held at EuroPCR in May 2015 in Paris

Although second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have improved outcomes in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), important unmet needs remain. Two symposia at EuroPCR 2015 focused on two challenging scenarios. First, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have generally inferior outcomes following PCI. The Cre8™ stent (manufactured by CID Spa, member of Alvimedica Group) has shown unique efficacy in subpopulations of patients with DM during clinical trials. A live case in a patient with diabetes illustrated the challenges of complex multivessel disease. Second, optimising stent selection towards devices that have demonstrated complete and early endothelialisation offers the potential to reduce the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. The Cre8™ DES features a polymer-free platform and has been associated with low rates of in-stent thrombosis.

Prevalence and Impact of Co-morbidity Burden as Defined by the Charlson Co-morbidity Index on 30-Day and 1- and 5-Year Outcomes After Coronary Stent Implantation (from the Nobori-2 Study)

Co-morbidities have typically been considered as prevalent cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases rather than systematic measures of general co-morbidity burden in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) is a measure of co-morbidity burden providing a means of quantifying the prognostic impact of 22 co-morbid conditions on the basis of their number and prognostic impact. The study evaluated the impact of the CCI on cardiac mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after PCI through analysis of the Nobori-2 study. The prognostic impact of CCI was studied in 3,067 patients who underwent PCI in 4,479 lesions across 125 centers worldwide on 30-day and 1- and 5-year cardiac mortality and MACE. Data were adjusted for potential confounders using stepwise logistic regression; 2,280 of 3,067 patients (74.4%) had ≥1 co-morbid conditions. CCI (per unit increase) was independently associated with an increase in both cardiac death (odds ratio [OR] 1.47 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20 to 1.80, p = 0.0002) and MACE (OR 1.29 95% CI 1.14 to 1.47, p ≤0.0011) at 30 days, with similar observations recorded at 1 and 5 years. CCI score ≥2 was independently associated with increased 30-day cardiac death (OR 4.25, 95% CI 1.24 to 14.56, p = 0.02) at 1 month, and this increased risk was also observed at 1 and 5 years. In conclusion, co-morbid burden, as measured using CCI, is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in the short, medium, and long term. Co-morbidity should be considered in the decision-making process when counseling patients regarding the periprocedural risks associated with PCI, in conjunction with traditional risk factors.

Clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention before and after introduction of drug-eluting stent

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have demonstrated safety and efficacy in clinical outcomes, especially reduced rate of revascularization. However, it remains unknown whether clinical outcomes related to mortality improved after the introduction of DES. We sought to examine clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular death in pre-DES and DES eras. This was a single-center retrospective study including patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from August 1997 and June 2011. Study population was divided into two groups according to the time period of PCI (August 1997 to July 2004; pre-DES era, August 2004 to June 2011; DES era). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and secondary endpoints were cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality. These endpoints were evaluated 3 years after PCI. A total of consecutive 3361 patients from our PCI cohort were analyzed. Patients in DES era were more likely to have traditional risk factors and angiographic disadvantages. The incidence of the primary endpoint was comparable between the two groups (p = 0.053). Cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality were also similar between the groups (p = 0.1 and p = 0.2, respectively). Importantly, non-cardiovascular mortality accounted for over 60% of all-cause mortality in both eras. DES era was not associated with 3-year all-cause mortality, whereas DES use was associated with a reduction in 3-year cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.010-0.9, p = 0.035). All-cause mortality, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality at three years were comparable between pre-DES and DES era, despite the higher risk profiles of patients in DES era.

Impact of age on the prognostic value of left ventricular function in relation to procedural outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society

BACKGROUND

Around one third of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Whilst the prevalence of LV dysfunction is known to increase with age, the prevalence of LV dysfunction in different age groups in the PCI setting is not known and the effect of age on the prognostic value of LV function in the PCI setting has not been examined.

METHODS

The relationship between LV function and 30-day mortality in patients undergoing PCI in different age groups (<60 years, 60 to <70 years, 70 to <80 years and ≥80 years) was studied in 246,840 patients in the UK between 2006 and 2011.

RESULTS

Prevalent LV dysfunction in patients undergoing PCI increased with age; 25,106/83,161 (30.2%: <60 years), 24,114/76,895 (31.4%: 60 to <70 years), 23,580/64,711 36.4% (70 to <80 years) and 9,851/22,073 (44.6%) in patients aged 80 or over (P < 0.0001). Poor LV function was independently associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality outcomes in all age groups (OR 5.65:95% CI 4.21-7.58, age <60 years; OR 5.07: 95% CI 3.91-6.57, age 60 to <70 years; OR 4.50: 95% CI 3.64-5.57, 70 to <80 years and OR 4.83:95% CI 3.79-6.15, age ≥80 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis suggests that worsening LV function is an important independent predictor of worse 30-day mortality outcomes across all age groups and underscores the need for a measure of LV function in all patients for accurate risk stratification prior to PCI.

Meeting the Unmet - The Cre8 Polymer-free Drug-eluting Stents Technology: Proceedings of a satellite symposium held at EuroPCR on May 20th - 23rd 2014 in Paris

The use of first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) has been associated with safety concerns such as very late stent thrombosis. Today, with the release of newer DES, there is a need for comparative studies of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to demonstrate their value in patients with high risk of restenosis such as diabetic patients. In a satellite symposium presented at EuroPCR 2014, the Cre8™ DES was discussed. The Cre8 device has a number of unique clinical features, including polymer-free technology, abluminal reservoir technology and bio-inducer surface that ensure effective neointima suppression and rapid endothelialisation. The efficacy of the Cre8 DES has been demonstrated in the International randomised comparison between DES Limus Carbostent and Taxus drug-eluting stents in the treatment of de novo coronary lesions (NEXT) randomised clinical study, with equivalent efficacy in the diabetic and general populations, a unique finding. Ongoing clinical studies such as Investig8 and the Tel Aviv Medical Center (TLVMC) Cre8 study have confirmed the efficacy of the device in patient populations with a high proportion of diabetic patients. The Demonstr8 randomised trial has shown almost complete Cre8 strut coverage at three months with a numerical advantage versus bare metal stent (bare metal stents [BMS] - comparator device) at one month. In addition, use of the Cre8 DES may enable a shorter duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following PCI. The Cre8 DES therefore represents a significant advance in stent technology and may be particularly useful in challenging clinical settings.

Age differences in long term outcomes of coronary patients treated with drug eluting stents at a tertiary medical center

We evaluate differences in outcomes in younger (<65 years) and older (≥65 years) patients for target lesion failure (TLF) at 2-year follow-up in an unselected consecutive series of patients treated with the everolimus- (EES) and paclitaxel-eluting (PES) stents at a tertiary medical center. 348 consecutive patients (younger 150; older 198) stented with the EES and PES were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was TLF (composite endpoint of cardiac death, non fatal myocardial infarction due to index vessel and target lesion revascularization (TLR)). At 2 years follow up, younger versus older patients had the following outcomes respectively: TLF 27.7% versus 25.5% (P = 0.71), TLR 24.8% versus 21.4% (P = 0.52), cardiac death 3.4% versus 2.5% (P = 0.75) and definite and probable stent thrombosis (2.0% versus 1.0%). Multivariate analysis showed that renal failure (odds ratio: 2.55, P = 0.045), number of stents per patient (odds ratio: 1.60, P = 0.001) and younger age (odds ratio: 0.97; P = 0.010), but not gender, diabetes or type of DES stent (EES versus PES) predicted TLF. We conclude that older age was not a predictor of TLF at 2-year follow-up after adjusting for renal insufficiency, number of stents used per patient, gender, diabetes and type of DES used.

Long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions with stent implantation in patients ≤40 years old

Data on the long-term prognosis of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in young patients are limited. The aim of the present study was to report the immediate and long-term clinical outcomes in a consecutive series of young patients with premature coronary artery disease who underwent PCI with stent implantation. During the study period (2005 to 2010), 214 consecutive patients aged ≤40 years who had undergone PCI with a bare metal stent or drug-eluting stent implantation were retrospectively selected and analyzed. Primary end point of this study was the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at short- and long-term follow-up. Mean age was 36.3 ± 3.5 years and 88.3% of patients were men. Three-quarters were active smokers and all patients had ≥1 conventional cardiovascular risk factor. The total number of implanted stents was 272 (154 bare metal stent and 118 drug-eluting stent). During the hospital stay, no patient died, and the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was 2.3%. No additional events had occurred at 30 days of follow-up. At a median follow-up of 757 days (interquartile range 365 to 1,818), the overall death rate was 0.9%, and a new revascularization procedure was needed in 12.6% of patients. The major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event-free survival rate at the median follow-up point and 1,818 days was 89.6% and 84.2%, respectively. Active smoking and left ventricular ejection fraction <50% were independent predictors of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. In conclusion, PCI in young patients lead to excellent results in short- and long-term follow-up and should be considered as the treatment of choice. Traditional risk factors are important prognostic determinants of adverse events and might help identify higher risk patients within this cohort.