Is the axiom of balloon angioplasty, "the more you gain the more you lose," still true in the era of DCB with paclitaxel?

Individual patient data meta-analysis of paclitaxel-coated balloons vs. drug-eluting stents for small-vessel coronary artery disease: the ANDROMEDA study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In randomized clinical trials of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for de novo small-vessel coronary artery disease (SV-CAD), paclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) angioplasty showed mid-term angiographic or clinical non-inferiority to drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Nevertheless, these trials have sample size limitations, and the relative safety and efficacy beyond the first year remain uncertain.

METHODS

The ANDROMEDA study was a collaborative, investigator-initiated, individual patient data meta-analysis comparing 3 year clinical outcomes between PCB angioplasty and DES implantation for the treatment of de novo SV-CAD. Multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science) were searched from May 2010 to June 2024 to identify eligible trials. All the following eligibility criteria were required: (i) random allocations of treatments; (ii) patients with SV-CAD; (iii) treatment with PCB or DES; and (iv) clinical follow-up of at least 36 months. The primary and co-primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and target lesion failure (TLF), respectively. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023479035).

RESULTS

Individual patient data from three randomized trials, including a total of 1154 patients and 1360 lesions, were combined. At 3 years, PCB was associated with a lower risk of MACE compared with DES [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-0.96], due to a lower risk of myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization. This benefit persisted after multivariable adjustment (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58-0.96), but did not reach statistical significance in the two-stage analysis (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.43-1.04). At the landmark analysis, the risk of MACE between groups was consistent over time. At 3 years, TLF was not significantly different between PCB and DES groups. Reconstructed time-to-event information from a fourth trial was included in a sensitivity analysis (1384 patients and 1590 lesions), showing consistent results in terms of TLF (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.63-1.20). The comparison between PCB and second-generation DES did not reveal significant differences in 3 year TLF (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.70-1.50).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing PCI for de novo SV-CAD, PCB angioplasty is associated with a reduction in MACE and a non-significant difference in TLF at 3 year follow-up compared with DES implantation. The restriction of the comparator group to second-generation DES does not alter the main conclusions. Larger trials comparing contemporary devices at a more prolonged follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings.

Definitions and standardized endpoints for the use of drug-coated balloon in coronary artery disease: consensus document of the Drug Coated Balloon Academic Research Consortium

The Drug Coated Balloon Academic Research Consortium project originated from the lack of standardization and comparability between studies using drug-coated balloons in the treatment of obstructive coronary artery disease. This document is a collaborative effort between academic research organizations and percutaneous coronary intervention societies in Europe, the USA, and Asia. This consensus sought to standardize study designs and endpoints for clinical trials involving drug-coated balloons, including defining angiographic, intravascular, and non-invasive imaging methods for lesion assessment, alongside considerations for post-revascularization pharmaco-therapy. The concept of 'blended therapy', which advocates for combining device strategies, is also discussed. This paper delineates study types, endpoint definitions, follow-up protocols, and analytical approaches, aiming to provide consistency and guidance for interventional cardiologists and trialists.

Drug-Coated Balloon-Based Intervention for Coronary Artery Disease: The Second Report of Asia-Pacific Consensus Group

Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) provide a stent-free alternative, reducing risks like stent thrombosis and in-stent restenosis and the need for prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. Recent studies show that DCBs can be effective and safe across various coronary artery diseases (CADs) when lesions are adequately prepared. Specifically, all coronary lesions are treated using the provisional approach, where active lesion preparation is followed by DCB or drug-eluting stent treatment, depending on the results. This approach means DCB is considered the default device before initiating intervention, with efforts focused on obtaining adequate lesion preparation. Depending on the result, DCB or drug-eluting stent is selected, which is termed DCB-based percutaneous coronary intervention. Therefore, this second report of the Asia-Pacific Consensus Group provides practical guidelines (DCB-based percutaneous coronary intervention) based on the latest evidence for DCB treatment in CAD and aims to expand its application across various CADs, facilitating its effective use in real-world clinical practice.

Serial quantitative optical coherence tomography for luminal volume changes following either paclitaxel or sirolimus coated balloon in de novo small coronary artery lesions

BACKGROUND

Drug coated balloons (DCB) are a treatment option for lesions in small coronary arteries, with treatment using paclitaxel coated balloons (PCB) associated with less angiographic late lumen loss than sirolimus coated balloons (SCB).

METHODS

This single-center sub-study of the TRANSFORM-I study compared quantitative optical coherence tomography (OCT) data in patients with de novo lesions in small coronary arteries treated with the MagicTouch (SCB) or SeQuent Please Neo (PCB). The relationship between the lumen volume of the treated segment immediately post procedure and at 6-month follow-up was evaluated. Late lumen volume loss (LLVL, mm3) was defined as the post-procedural lumen volume - lumen volume at 6 months.

RESULTS

Serial OCT analysis was performed in 19 patients with 21 lesions (SCB: 9 patients/11 lesions; PCB: 10 patients/10 lesions). There was a significant decrease in lumen volume between post-procedure and 6 months in the SCB group (97.35 ± 71.09 mm3 vs 87.96 ± 61.48 mm3, p = 0.03), but not in the PCB group (69.67 ± 38.24 mm3 vs 71.64 ± 42.22 mm3, p = 0.64). The LLVL was 9.39 ± 12.76 mm3 and - 1.97 ± 12.90 mm3 in the SCB and PCB group, respectively (SCB vs PCB, p = 0.06). A trend for interaction between SCB and PCB was observed in the relationship between dissection volume and LLVL (SCB: LLVL = 1.28 ∗ dissection volume + 7.42, p = 0.37; PCB: LLVL = -2.84 ∗ dissection volume + 4.51, p = 0.12; p for interaction = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

In de novo lesions of small coronary arteries, treatment with an SCB lead to a significant decrease in lumen volume at 6-months compared to post-procedure, with no significant change observed after treatment with a PCB.