SeQuentPlease World Wide Registry: clinical results of SeQuent please paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty in a large-scale, prospective registry study

Drug-Eluting Balloons in Calcified Coronary Lesions: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes

Background: The usefulness of drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) has not been fully elucidated in calcified coronary lesions (CCLs). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of DEBs compared to a drug-eluting stent (DES) in this setting. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane were searched through December 2023. The primary endpoint was 12 months major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Secondary endpoints included clinical outcomes and angiographic results after PCI and at a 12-month follow-up. Results: Five studies and a total of 1141 patients with 1176 coronary lesions were included. Overall, the DEB was comparable to DES in MACE (RR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.62-1.19, p = 0.36), cardiac death (RR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.23-1.53, p = 0.28), myocardial infarction (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.25-3.24, p = 0.87) and target lesion revascularization (RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.68-1.77, p = 0.70). Although the DEB was associated with worse acute angiographic outcomes (acute gain; MD = -0.65, 95% CI: -0.73, -0.56 and minimal lumen diameter; MD = -0.75, 95% CI: -0.89, -0.61), it showed better results at 12 months follow-up (late lumen loss; MD = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.62, -0.07). Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that the DEB strategy is comparable to DES in the treatment of CCLs in terms of clinical outcomes. Although the DEB strategy had inferior acute angiographic results, it may offer better angiographic results at follow-up.

Current Management of In-Stent Restenosis

In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains the primary cause of target lesion failure following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), resulting in 10-year incidences of target lesion revascularization at a rate of approximately 20%. The treatment of ISR is challenging due to its inherent propensity for recurrence and varying susceptibility to available strategies, influenced by a complex interplay between clinical and lesion-specific conditions. Given the multiple mechanisms contributing to the development of ISR, proper identification of the underlying substrate, especially by using intravascular imaging, becomes pivotal as it can indicate distinct therapeutic requirements. Among standalone treatments, drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty and drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation have been the most effective. The main advantage of a DCB-based approach is the avoidance of an additional metallic layer, which may otherwise enhance neointimal hyperplasia, provide the substratum for developing neoatherosclerosis, and expose the patient to a persistently higher risk of coronary ischemic events. On the other hand, target vessel scaffolding by DES implantation confers relevant mechanical advantages over DCB angioplasty, generally resulting in larger luminal gain, while drug elution from the stent surface ensures the inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia. Nevertheless, repeat stenting with DES also implies an additional permanent metallic layer that may reiterate and promote the mechanisms leading to ISR. Against this background, the selection of either DCB or DES on a patient- and lesion-specific basis as well as the implementation of adjuvant treatments, including cutting/scoring balloons, intravascular lithotripsy, and rotational atherectomy, hold the potential to improve the effectiveness of ISR treatment over time. In this review, we comprehensively assessed the available evidence from randomized trials to define contemporary interventional treatment of ISR and provide insights for future directions.

Treatment of coronary lesions with a novel crystalline sirolimus-coated balloon

Background

There is mounting data supporting the use of drug-coated balloons (DCB) not only for treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR), but also in native coronary artery disease. So far, paclitaxel-coated balloons represented the mainstay DCBs. The SeQuent® crystalline sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB) (B.Braun Medical Inc, Germany) represents a novel DCB, which allows a sustained release of the limus-drug. We evaluated its performance in an all-comer cohort, including complex coronary lesions.

Methods

Consecutive patients treated with the SeQuent® SCB were analyzed from the prospective SIROOP registry (NCT04988685). We assessed clinical outcomes, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI) and cardiovascular death. Angiograms and outcomes were independently adjudicated.

Results

From March 2021 to March 2023, we enrolled 126 patients and lesions, of which 100 (79%) treated using a "DCB-only" strategy and 26 (21%) with a hybrid approach (DES + DCB). The mean age was 68 ± 10 years, 48 (38%) patients had an acute coronary syndrome. Regarding lesion characteristics, ISR was treated in 27 (21%), 11 (9%) underwent CTO-PCI and 59 (47%) of the vessels were moderate to severe calcified. Procedural success rate was 100%. At a median follow-up time of 12.7 (IQR 12; 14.2) months, MACE occurred in 5 patients (4.3%). No acute vessel closure was observed.

Conclusions

Our data indicates promising outcomes following treatment with this novel crystalline SCB in an all-comer cohort with complex coronary lesions. These results require further investigation with randomized trials.

Sirolimus-coated balloon in all-comer population of coronary artery disease patients: the EASTBOURNE DIABETES prospective registry

BACKGROUND

The outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetic patients are still suboptimal, and it is unclear if diabetic patients might derive a benefit from the use of drug-coated balloons.

AIMS

To evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus on the outcomes of patients undergoing PCI with sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB) MagicTouch (Concept Medical, India).

METHODS

We conducted a subgroup analysis of the prospective, multicenter, investigator-initiated EASTBOURNE registry, evaluating the performance of MagicTouch SCB in patients with and without diabetes. The study primary endpoint was target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12-month follow-up. Secondary clinical endpoints were major adverse clinical events (MACE), death, myocardial infarction (MI), and BARC 2-5 bleedings.

RESULTS

Among 2,083 enrolled patients, a total of 864 suffered from diabetes (41.5%). Patients with diabetes had a numerically higher occurrence of TLR (6.5% vs. 4.7% HR 1.38, 95%CI 0.91-2.08), all-cause death (3.8% vs. 2.6%, HR 1.81, 95%CI 0.95-3.46), and MACE (12.2% vs. 8.9%; HR 1.26 95%CI 0.92-1.74). The incidence of spontaneous MI was significantly higher among diabetic patients (3.4% vs. 1.5%, HR 2.15 95%CI 1.09-4.25); bleeding events did not significantly differ. The overall incidence of TLR was higher among in-stent restenosis (ISR) as compared to de-novo coronary lesions, irrespectively from diabetes status.

CONCLUSIONS

In the EASTBOURNE DIABETES registry, diabetic patients treated with the MagicTouch SCB did not have a significant increase in TLR when compared to non-diabetic patients; moreover, diabetic status did not affect the study device performance in terms of TLR, in both de-novo lesions and ISR.

Prognostic Impact of Drug-Coated Balloons in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Propensity-Matched Study

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at higher risk of restenosis and stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and drug-eluting stent (DES) positioning. Whether drug-coated balloons (DCB) can offer any benefit in this subset of patients has been seldom cleared out and was the aim of the present propensity-matched cohort study, that compared the prognostic impact of DCB versus DES in patients with DM who underwent PCI. Patients with DM enrolled in the NOvara-BIella-TREnto (NOBITRE) Registry were identified and matched according to propensity score, to a control population of patients with DM treated with DES. The primary study end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). A total of 150 patients were identified in the DCB group and matched with 150 DES-treated patients. Patients treated with DCB displayed more often a previous cardiovascular history and received a more complete pharmacological therapy. Target vessel diameter and the percentage of stenosis were lower in patients with DCB, whereas binary in-stent restenosis was more common (p <0.001, p = 0.003, and p <0.001, respectively). Paclitaxel-eluting balloon represented the most common strategy in the DCB group, whereas Zotarolimus-eluting stents were used in half of the DES population. At a median follow-up of 545.5 days, MACE occurred in 54 (19.4%) of patients, with no difference according to the PCI strategy (21.6% vs 17.3%, adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.51 [0.46 to 4.93], p = 0.50). Major ischemic end points were slightly increased in patients treated with DCB, whereas overall death was significantly reduced (3.6% vs 10.9%; adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 0.27 [0.08 to 0.91], p = 0.03). In conclusion, the present propensity-matched study shows that, in patients with DM who underwent PCI for in-stent restenosis or de novo lesions, the use of DCB is associated with a similar rate of MACE and a modest increase in target lesion failure, but a significantly improved survival as compared with DES.

Drug-coated balloon: an effective alternative to stent strategy in small-vessel coronary artery disease-a meta-analysis

Background

Small-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) is frequently observed in coronary angiography and linked to a higher risk of lesion failure and restenosis. Currently, treatment of small vessels is not standardized while having drug-eluting stents (DES) or drug-coated balloons (DCBs) as possible strategies. We aimed to conduct a meta-analytic approach to assess the effectiveness of treatment strategies and outcomes for small-vessel CAD.

Methods

Comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases to identify studies reporting treatment strategies of small-vessel CAD with a reference diameter of ≤3.0 mm. Target lesion revascularization (TLR), target lesion thrombosis, all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as clinical outcomes. Outcomes from single-arm and randomized studies based on measures by means of their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were compared using a meta-analytic approach. Statistical significance was assumed if CIs did not overlap.

Results

Thirty-seven eligible studies with a total of 31,835 patients with small-vessel CAD were included in the present analysis. Among those, 28,147 patients were treated with DES (24 studies) and 3,299 patients with DCB (18 studies). Common baseline characteristics were equally distributed in the different studies. TLR rate was 4% in both treatment strategies [0.04; 95% CI 0.03-0.05 (DES) vs. 0.03-0.07 (DCB)]. MI occurred in 3% of patients receiving DES and in 2% treated with DCB [0.03 (0.02-0.04) vs. 0.02 (0.01-0.03)]. All-cause mortality was 3% in the DES group [0.03 (0.02-0.05)] compared with 1% in the DCB group [0.01 (0.00-0.03)]. Approximately 9% of patients with DES developed MACE vs. 4% of patients with DCB [0.09 (0.07-0.10) vs. 0.04 (0.02-0.08)]. Meta-regression analysis did not show a significant impact of reference vessel diameter on outcomes.

Conclusion

This large meta-analytic approach demonstrates similar clinical and angiographic results between treatment strategies with DES and DCB in small-vessel CAD. Therefore, DES may be waived in small coronary arteries when PCI is performed with DCB.

Sirolimus-Coated Balloon in an All-Comer Population of Coronary Artery Disease Patients: The EASTBOURNE Prospective Registry

BACKGROUND

Drug-coated balloons (DCB) represent 1 of the most promising innovations in interventional cardiology and may represent a valid alternative to drug-eluting stents. Currently, some sirolimus-coated balloons (SCB) are being investigated for several coronary artery disease applications.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to understand the role of a novel SCB for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

METHODS

EASTBOURNE (All-Comers Sirolimus-Coated Balloon European Registry) is a prospective, multicenter, investigator-driven clinical study that enrolled real-world patients treated with SCB. Primary endpoint was target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months. Secondary endpoints were procedural success, myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause death, and major adverse clinical events (a composite of death, MI, and TLR). All adverse events were censored and adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee.

RESULTS

A total population of 2,123 patients (2,440 lesions) was enrolled at 38 study centers in Europe and Asia. The average age was 66.6 ± 11.3 years, and diabetic patients were 41.5%. De novo lesions (small vessels) were 56%, in-stent restenosis (ISR) 44%, and bailout stenting occurred in 7.7% of the patients. After 12 months, TLR occurred in 5.9% of the lesions, major adverse clinical events in 9.9%, and spontaneous MI in 2.4% of the patients. The rates of cardiac/all-cause death were 1.5% and 2.5%, respectively. The primary outcome occurred more frequently in the ISR cohort (10.5% vs 2.0%; risk ratio: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.13-3.19). After multivariate Cox regression model, the main determinant for occurrence of the primary endpoint was ISR (OR: 5.5; 95% CI: 3.382-8.881).

CONCLUSIONS

EASTBOURNE, the largest DCB study in the coronary field, shows the safety and efficacy of a novel SCB in a broad population of coronary artery disease including small vessels and ISR patients at mid-term follow-up. (The All-Comers Sirolimus-Coated Balloon European Registry [EASTBOURNE]; NCT03085823).

Percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-coated balloon-only strategy combined with single antiplatelet treatment in patients at high bleeding risk: Single center experience of a novel concept

OBJECTIVES

At least 1 month of dual antiplatelet therapy is required after coronary stenting. The aim of this all-comers retrospective registry study was to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-coated balloon (DCB) with single antiplatelet treatment (SAPT).

METHODS

Between 2011 and 2020, 232 PCIs were performed in 172 patients using the DCB-only strategy and discharged with SAPT.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 75 ± 11 years and 59% were male. The clinical presentation was stable coronary artery disease (CAD) in 42% of the patients and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in 58%. The lesions were mainly de novo (96%). The majority (58%) of treated lesions were in large coronary arteries (≥3.0 mm). Most (87%) of the patients were at high bleeding risk (HBR) with at least one major or two minor Academic Research Consortium (ARC) risk factors for bleeding. Periprocedural DAPT was used in 49% of the patients. The 12-month major adverse cardiac events (MACE, the composition of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target-lesion revascularization) rate was 1.4% in stable CAD and 7.1% in ACS. The 12-month all-cause mortality after DBC only + SAPT strategy was 4.1% in stable CAD and 12.1% in ACS. The rate of ischemia-driven target lesion revascularisation (TLR) was 0% in stable CAD and 3.0% in ACS at 12 months. The 12-month rate of significant bleeding (BARC type 2-5) was 10.5%. There were no acute or subacute vessel closures.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the aged patient population with comorbidities, the TLR, MACE, and bleeding rates were low with DCB-only PCI combined with SAPT. This novel approach could reduce the post-PCI bleeding risk in patients with CAD and HBR compared to stenting.

Novel application of drug-coated balloons in coronary heart disease: A narrative review

The incidence of coronary heart disease (CAD) has soared over the years, and coronary intervention has become an increasingly important therapeutic approach. The past decade has witnessed unprecedented developments in therapeutic medical instruments. Given that drug-coated balloons bring many benefits, they are indicated for an increasing number of conditions. In this article, we review the results of current clinical trials about drug-coated balloons and summarize their safety and clinical progression in different coronary artery diseases, laying the groundwork for basic research, and clinical therapeutics of this patient population.

Drug-coated balloon-only strategy for percutaneous coronary intervention of de novo left main coronary artery disease: the importance of proper lesion preparation

This retrospective single-center registry study included all consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for a de novo left main coronary artery lesion using drug coated-balloon (DCB)-only strategy between August 2011 and December 2018. To best of our knowledge, no previous studies of DCB-only strategy of treating de novo left main coronary artery disease, exist. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization (TLR). The cohort was divided into two groups depending on weather the lesion preparation was done according to the international consensus group guidelines. Sixty-six patients (mean age 75±8.6, 72% male), 52% of whom had acute coronary syndrome, underwent left main PCI with the DCB-only strategy. No procedural mortality and no acute closures of the treated left main occurred. At 12 months, MACE and TLR occurred in 24% and 6% of the whole cohort, respectively. If the lesion preparation was done according to the guidelines, the MACE and TLR rates were 21.2% and 1.9%. Left main PCI with the DCB only-strategy is safe leading to acceptable MACE and low TLR rates at one year, if the lesion preparation is done according to the guidelines.

Technical success, clinical efficacy, and insight into the causes of restenosis after the percutaneous coronary intervention of de novo coronary artery lesions using a paclitaxel-coated balloon with citrate ester excipient

Objectives

The aim of this all-comers registry study was to investigate the technical success, clinical efficacy, and safety of a drug-coated balloon (DCB) with paclitaxel combined with citrate ester excipient (CEE) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of de novo coronary lesions in an all-comers population.

Materials and methods

A total of 338 consecutive PCIs using the DCB (CEE)-only approach comprising 406 de novo lesions were included in the study. Technical success was determined by the successful delivery of the device and no need for bailout stenting.

Results

The mean follow-up time was 25 ± 12 months. The mean age of patients was 71 ± 11 years, and 48% had the acute coronary syndrome. A total of 55% of the patients were at risk of factor bleeding. The delivery of DCB was successful in 98% of cases. The overall technical success rate was 83%. Bailout stenting was used in 9% of lesions. Rotational atherectomy was used in 11% of cases before the DCB-only approach. The mean diameter of the DCBs used was 2.7 ± 0.5 mm and 38% of DCBs were large (≥3.0 mm). The 12-month MACE rates were 5.4 ± 1.7 and 18.3 ± 3.1% in stable CAD and in ACS, respectively. The respective target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates were 3.0 ± 1.3 and 8.5 ± 2.3%. Unacceptable acute recoil (>30%) was found in 74% of cases that needed repeat revascularization. No acute vessel closures occurred after DCB treatment.

Conclusion

The DCB-only strategy using a paclitaxel-coated (CEE) device was technically feasible, safe, and effective in an all-comers population. Acute recoil was found as a significant cause of restenosis after the DCB-only strategy.

Response to pre-dilatation with POBA can predict target lesion revascularization after DCB angioplasty for de novo small coronary artery lesions

Objective

To assess the determinants of target lesion revascularization (TLR) after drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for de novo small coronary artery lesions.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled consecutive lesions from patients that were in a stable condition and had undergone successful DCB treatment for de novo small coronary artery lesions. The study endpoint was TLR and major adverse cardiac events at 12 months.

Results

A total of 68 patients with 83 lesions were enrolled in the study. Of these, 11 (13.3%) lesions required TLR. Mean ± SD pre-dilatation balloon diameters were similar in the non-TLR (2.33 ± 0.72 mm) and TLR (2.18 ± 0.36 mm) groups. A comparison of the two groups showed that post/pre-lumen area ratio during pre-dilatation (%) by plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA) was significantly and negatively associated with TLR and the optimal cut-off point was 170%. Cox proportional hazard and multivariate regression analyses showed that post/pre-lumen area ratio was the only independent predictor of TLR (hazard ratio 0.9318; 95% confidence interval 0.9001, 0.9645).

Conclusion

Greater pre-dilatation using POBA, assessed as the post/pre-lumen area ratio, may be independently associated with a lower 12-month TLR rate in patients undergoing DCB angioplasty for de novo small coronary lesions.

Effect of PEGylation on the Drug Release Performance and Hemocompatibility of Photoresponsive Drug-Loading Platform

Coronary stenosis has been one of the most common heart diseases that drastically increases the risk of fatal disorders such as heart attack. Angioplasty using drug coated balloons (DCB) has been one of the most safe and promising treatments. To minimize the risk of thrombosis of such DCBs during intervention, a different approach that can secure high hemocompatibility under blood flow is necessary. Here we report a method of improving the photoresponsive platform's hemocompatibility by conjugating polyethylene glycol (PEG), onto the functional groups located at the balloon surface. In this study, latex microbeads were used as models for balloons to enable precise observation of its surface under microscopy. These beads were decorated with PEG polymers of a variety of lengths and grafting densities, along with the Cy5-Photoclevable (PC) linker conjugate to mimic drugs to be loaded onto the platform. Results showed that PEG length and grafting density are both critical factors that alter not only its hemocompatibility, but also the drug load and release efficiency of such platform. Thus, although further investigation is necessary to optimize the tradeoff between hemocompatibility, drug load, and release efficiency, it is safe to conclude that PEGylation of DCB surface is an effective method of enhancing and maintaining high hemocompatibility to minimize the risk of thrombosis during angioplasty.

Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes Following Drug-Coated Balloons in Coronary Artery Disease

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term efficacy of drug-coated balloons (DCB) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in two different pathophysiologic scenarios. Background: There are different underlying pathological processes in coronary artery disease. Mid-term safety and efficacy of DCB approach is still limited. Methods: Medical records of all consecutive patients undergoing DCB were evaluated. The primary endpoint was the rate of clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) after 24 months. Results: Between January 2011 and December 2017, 442 patients were included, representing 4.4% of all PCIs in our institution. A total of 460 DCB lesions were treated, of which 328 (71.3%) were de novo and 132 (28.7%) were combined bare metal or drug-eluting stents with in-stent restenosis (ISR). The patients’ mean age was 66.2 ± 11.7 years with a diabetes prevalence of 45.3%. The TLR rate was lower in the de novo group (5.3%) compared to the ISR group (9.4%) (p = 0.04). No differences were observed in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) between the de novo group (38.9%) and ISR group (42.5%) (p = 0.47). No significant differences were detected in the TLR occurrence in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Our extended experience demonstrates that the mid-term DCB approach in these two pathophysiologic settings represent a reasonable option, with low TLR rate.

A retrospective study of drug-coated balloon angioplasty for vertebral artery origin stenosis

PURPOSE

Angioplasty using drug-coated balloon (DCB) for treatment of symptomatic vertebral artery origin stenosis (VAOS) is promising, but of uncertain benefit. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of using DCB in the treatment of severe VAOS.

METHODS

This study included 20 patients with severe VAOS treated with DCB alone between April 2018 and December 2019. Vascular death, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and stroke related to the responsible artery within 30 days after procedure were recorded as primary endpoints. Restenosis, late TIA, and stroke related to VAOS and satisfied clinical outcome [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 2] were documented at follow-up visit as secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Of 20 patients, 16 were performed DCB dilation successfully, and 4 were excluded due to further bailout stenting. After the procedure, no adverse event occurred within 30 days. Ten of 16 patients achieved residual VAOS (rVAOS) < 50% (lower rVAOS group), and the remaining 6 patients achieved rVAOS ≥ 50% but < 70% (higher rVAOS group). During follow-up, vertebral artery origin restenosis was detected in 3 (18.8%) of 16 patients by ultrasound. Among the 3 patients with restenosis, 2 were belonged to the higher rVAOS group, which might indicate a tendency that the more severe the residual stenosis, the higher the restenosis rate. All patients had no complaint in the whole follow-up period (median, 7 months; InterQuartile Range, 1-18 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Angioplasty using DCB for VAOS may be feasible, safe, and effective. The degree of residual stenosis after using DCB alone may affect the restenosis rate.

Clinical Results of Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment in a Large-Scale Multicenter Korean Registry Study

Current percutaneous coronary intervention has significant limitations related to the implanted current metallic stent. The “leave nothing behind” strategy of drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment has showed potential performance to overcome current treatment. However, studies in this issue are still limited by moderate numbers of patients. Therefore, we performed Stent Failure Research DCB registry study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DCB treatment for in-stent restenosis or de novo lesions. The registry finally included 2,509 patients treated with DCB and revealed the favorable clinical outcome of DCB treatment.

Background and Objectives

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of treatment with drug-coated balloon (DCB) in a large real-world population.

Methods

Patients treated with DCBs were included in a multicenter observational registry that enrolled patients from 18 hospitals in Korea between January 2009 and December 2017. The primary outcome was target lesion failure (TLF) defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and clinically indicated target lesion revascularization at 12 months.

Results

The study included 2,509 patients with 2,666 DCB-treated coronary artery lesions (1,688 [63.3%] with in-stent restenosis [ISR] lesions vs. 978 [36.7%] with de novo lesions). The mean age with standard deviation was 65.7±11.3 years; 65.7% of the patients were men. At 12 months, the primary outcome, TLF, occurred in 179 (6.7%), 151 (8.9%), 28 (2.9%) patients among the total, ISR, and de novo lesion populations, respectively. A history of hypertension, diabetes, acute coronary syndrome, previous coronary artery bypass graft, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, B2C lesion and ISR lesion were independent predictors of 12 months TLF in the overall study population.

Conclusions

This large multicenter DCB registry study revealed the favorable clinical outcome of DCB treatment in real-world practice in patient with ISR lesion as well as small de novo coronary lesion.

A randomized comparison of a novel iopromide-based paclitaxel-coated balloon Shenqi versus SeQuent Please for the treatment of in-stent restenosis

BACKGROUND

Treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains challenging in contemporary clinical applications. Drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty offers an effective treatment for ISR. Shenqi is a novel iopromide-based paclitaxel-coated balloon and its clinical safety, effectiveness and angiographic efficacy in patients with ISR have not been investigated.

METHODS

A total of 216 subjects with the first occurrence of ISR at 11 investigational sites in China were randomly allocated in a 1:1 fashion to treatment with DCB SeQuent Please or Shenqi. Clinical follow-up was planned at 1, 6, 9 and 12 months, and angiographic follow-up was planned at 9 months. The study was powered for the primary endpoint of 9-month in-segment late loss.

RESULTS

At 9-month follow-up, the in-segment late loss was 0.29 ± 0.43 mm with Shenqi versus 0.30 ± 0.46 mm with SeQuent Please, and the one-sided 97.5% upper confidence limit of the difference was 0.14 mm, achieving noninferiority of Shenqi compared with SeQuent Please (P = 0.002). In total, 12 patients developed target lesion failure (TLF) in the Shenqi group compared with 16 patients in the SeQuent Please group (10.91% versus 15.09%; P = 0.42) within 1 year. TLF was mainly driven by target lesion revascularization (9.09%) followed by target vessel-related myocardial infarction (1.82%) and cardiovascular death (0.91%) in the Shenqi group.

CONCLUSIONS

Shenqi DCB was noninferior to SeQuent Please DCB for the primary endpoint of 9-month in-segment late loss. Shenqi DCB may become an attractive alternative treatment for patients with coronary ISR, withholding the need for additional stent implantation.

Impact of Diabetes on Outcome With Drug-Coated Balloons Versus Drug-Eluting Stents: The BASKET-SMALL 2 Trial

OBJECTIVES

The study sought to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus on 3-year clinical outcome in patients undergoing drug-coated balloon (DCB) or drug-eluting stent (DES) treatment for de novo lesions.

BACKGROUND

For treatment of de novo coronary small vessel disease, DCBs are noninferior to DES.

METHODS

In this prespecified analysis of a multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, including 758 patients with de novo lesions in coronary vessels <3 mm who were randomized 1:1 to DCB or DES and followed over 3 years for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI], and target vessel revascularization [TVR]), outcome was analyzed regarding the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

In nondiabetic patients (n = 506), rates of MACE (DCB 13.0% vs DES 11.5%; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-2.09; P = 0.43), cardiac death (2.8% vs 2.9%; HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.32-2.92; P = 0.96), nonfatal MI (5.1% vs 4.8%; HR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.44-2.28; P = 0.99), and TVR (8.8% vs 6.1%; HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.83-3.25; P = 0.16) were similar. In diabetic patients (n = 252), rates of MACE (19.3% vs 22.2%; HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.45-1.48; P = 0.51), cardiac death (8.8% vs 5.9%; HR: 2.01; 95% CI: 0.76-5.31; P = 0.16), and nonfatal MI (7.1% vs 9.8%; HR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.21-1.49; P = 0.24) were similar in DCB and DES. TVR was significantly lower with DCBs vs DES (9.1% vs 15.0%; HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17-0.94; P = 0.036; P = 0.011 for interaction).

CONCLUSIONS

The rates of MACE are similar in DCBs and DES in de novo coronary lesions of diabetic and nondiabetic patients. In diabetic patients, need for TVR was significantly lower with DCB versus DES. (Basel Stent Kosten Effektivitäts Trial Drug Eluting Balloons vs Drug Eluting Stents in Small Vessel Interventions [BASKET-SMALL2]; NCT01574534).

Influences of Stent Design on In-Stent Restenosis and Major Cardiac Outcomes: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis

Thanks to the developments in implantable biomaterial technologies, invasive operating procedures, and widespread applications especially in vascular disease treatment, a milestone for interventional surgery was achieved with the introduction of vascular stents. Despite vascular stents providing a solution for embolisms, this technology includes various challenges, such as mechanical, electro-chemical complications, or in-stent restenosis (ISR) risks with long-term usage. Therefore, further development of biomaterial technologies is vital to overcome such risks and problems. For this purpose, recent research has focused mainly on the applications of surface modification techniques on biomaterials and vascular stents to increase their hemocompatibility. ISR risk has been reduced with the development and prevalent usage of the art technology stent designs of drug-eluting and biodegradable stents. Nevertheless, their problems have not been overcome completely. Furthermore, patients using drug-eluting stents are faced with further clinical challenges. Therefore, the bare metal stent, which is the first form of the vascular stent technology and includes the highest ISR risk, is still in common usage for vascular treatment applications. For this reason, further research is necessary to solve the remaining vital problems. In this scoping review, stent-based major cardiac events including ISR are analyzed depending on different designs and material selection in stent manufacturing. Recent and novel approaches to overcome such challenges are stated in detail.

Clinical outcomes of drug-coated balloon in coronary lesions: a real-world, all-comers study

BACKGROUNDS

Although drug-eluting stents are the most common interventional devices for patients with coronary disease, drug-coated balloons (DCBs) represent a novel therapeutic alternative in certain scenarios. This prospective, observational all-comers study explored the clinical outcomes of DCB use in patients with coronary lesions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

All patients treated with DCBs were enrolled in this study, including patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR) or de novo lesions. The primary outcome was the target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate at one year. We enrolled 2306 patients with 2660 lesions and performed DCB angioplasty in 399 patients (17.3%) with ISR and 1907 patients (82.7%) with de novo lesions. During follow-up (366 ± 46 days), the TLR rate was lower in the de novo lesion group (1.31%) compared to the ISR group (7.02%) [odds ratio (OR) 0.176, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.101-0.305, p < 0.001]. Patients with de novo lesions had a lower yearly incidence of MACE compared to ISR patients (2.73 vs. 9.27%, respectively, OR 0.274, 95% CI 0.177-0.424, p < 0.001) and a lower incidence of any revascularization (5.09 vs. 13.03%, OR 0.358, 95% CI 0.251-0.510, p < 0.001). No significant differences between groups were observed in the rates of cardiac death (OR 0.783, 95% CI 0.258-2.371, p = 0.655) or MI (OR 0.696, 95% CI 0.191-2.540, p = 0.573).

CONCLUSIONS

DCB angioplasty in this all-comers, real-world, prospective study was safe and efficient with low TLR and MACE rates. Thus, DCB appears to be an attractive alternative for the stent-less treatment of de novo coronary lesions. ISR in-stent restenosis; OR odds ratio; CI confidence interval; TLR target lesion revascularization; MACE major adverse cardiovascular events; MI myocardial infraction. MACE defined as the composite outcome of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Any revascularization includes any percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass grafting.

Study on the safety and effectiveness of drug-coated balloons in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Drug-coated balloon (DCB) is a new technology that has emerged in recent years and has been proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of in-stent restenosis. The purpose of this article is to observe the safety and effectiveness of drug-coated balloons in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

METHOD

We selected 80 patients admitted to the hospital for STEMI from January 2018 to December 2019. The subjects were randomly divided into a Yinyi (Liaoning) Biotech Bingo Drug Coated Balloon treatment group (balloon group, n  = 38) and a drug-eluting stent (DES) treatment group (stent group, n  = 42). Patients were followed up to understand the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after surgery. Coronary angiography was rechecked 1 year after surgery to understand the late lumen loss (LLL) in the two groups.

RESULT

During the one-year follow-up, the LLL of the target lesion in the balloon group was -0.12±0.46 mm, while the target lesion in the stent group was 0.14±0.37 mm ( P  <0.05). Within 1 year, the incidence of MACE in the balloon group was 11%, while the incidence of MACE in the stent group was 12%. There was no significant difference between the two groups.

IN CONCLUSION

When PCI is used for STEMI, only DCB therapy is safe and effective, and has shown good clinical effects during a one-year follow-up period.

Outcomes after drug-coated balloon interventions for de novo coronary lesions in the patients on chronic hemodialysis

The impact of drug-coated balloon (DCB) on hemodialysis (HD) patients with coronary lesions remains unclear. This study aimed to compare outcomes after DCB treatment between HD and non-HD patients with de novo coronary lesions. A total of 235 consecutive patients who electively underwent DCB treatment for de novo coronary lesions were included (HD group: n = 100; non-HD group: n = 135). Angiographic follow-up was performed 6 months after the procedure. Patients were clinically followed up for 2 years. The incidence rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were investigated. Diabetes and a history of coronary bypass grafting were more frequent in the HD group than in the non-HD group (69.0% vs. 50.7%, p = 0.007, and 24.0% vs 9.1%, p = 0.013, respectively). The reference diameter and pre-procedural diameter stenosis were greater in the HD group than in the non-HD group (2.49 mm vs. 2.24 mm, p = 0.007, and 65.9% vs. 59.6%, p = 0.015, respectively). Calcification was observed in 65.5% of all lesions, and rotational atherectomy was performed in 30.2% patients. The average diameter of the DCB was 2.51 mm (2.57 mm, HD group vs. 2.47 mm, non-HD group, p = 0.14). Although post-procedural diameter stenosis was similar between the groups, late lumen loss on follow-up angiography was larger in HD patients than in non-HD patients (0.27 mm vs. - 0.03 mm, p = 0.0009). The 2-year rates of freedom from TLR and MACE were lower in HD patients than in non-HD patients [79.3% vs. 91.7%, hazard ratio (HR) 2.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-6.77, p = 0.014; and 61.6% vs. 89.4%, HR 4.60, 95% CI 2.30-10.2, p < 0.001, respectively]. In conclusion, the rates of TLR and MACE after DCB treatment were higher in HD patients than in non-HD patients.

Results of paclitaxel-drug-coated balloons (Pantera Lux) for coronary in-stent restenosis: Italian experience from REGistry of Paclitaxel Eluting Balloon in ISR study

AIMS

Drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation is an effective treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR). However, literature data indicate that drug-coated balloons (DCBs) may be a valid alternative, particularly for recurrent ISR. We sought to evaluate clinical results on the long-term efficacy of a new DCB for ISR treatment.

METHODS

One hundred and ninety-nine patients were treated with paclitaxel drug-coated balloons (Pantera Lux, Biotronik, Switzerland) in the Italian REGistry of Paclitaxel Eluting Balloon in ISR (REGPEB study). Clinical follow-up was scheduled at 1 and 12 months. A subgroup of patients received adjunctive 5-year follow-up. Primary end point was Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) at 1 year.

RESULTS

A total of 214 ISR coronary lesions were treated (75.4% DES-ISR). Mean time between stent implantation and DCB treatment is 41 months. DCBs were successfully delivered in 99% of the cases; crossover to a DES occurred in 3% of cases. Procedural success rate was 98.5%. Clinical success rate was 98.5%. First-month follow-up compliance was 98% and freedom from MACE was 96.9%. Twelve-month follow-up compliance was 89.3% with a freedom from MACE rate of 87.3% (CI: 81.3-91.5%). Five-year long-term follow-up showed 65.2% of freedom from MACE.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms that Pantera Lux treatment is effective and well tolerated in ISR, showing good acute and long/very long-term results in the treatment of complex lesions (DES and late ISR).

Long-Term Follow-Up of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Paclitaxel-Eluting Balloon Catheter

Drug-eluting balloons currently constitute a therapeutic tool used in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Long-term results remain unknown. We evaluated the prognosis of PCI using a second generation paclitaxel-eluting balloon (PEB) in real-world patients. We included all PCI with PEB in de novo or in-stent restenosis coronary lesions performed in our unit from March 2009 to March 2019. We assessed the composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rate after a median follow-up of 42 months. Consecutive patients (n = 320) with 386 lesions were included; 46.9% presented with stable angina and 53.1% acute coronary syndromes; 52.6% of the lesions were in-stent restenosis and 47.3% de novo lesions with a mean diameter of 2.4 ± 0.5 mm. A bare metal stent was implanted in 6.7% and a drug-eluting stent in 8.5% of patients. The MACE rate was 8%: 10 (2.6%) cardiovascular deaths, 13 (3.4%) myocardial infarctions, and 16 (4.1%) target lesion revascularization. The all-cause death rate was 5.2%. No cases of thrombosis were recorded. In conclusion, PEB was a safe and effective tool to treat in-stent restenosis and de novo coronary lesions, especially small vessel disease, during long-term follow-up.

Impact of Coronary Stent Architecture on Clinical Outcomes: Do Minor Changes in Stent Architecture Really Matter?

Introduction

The objective of this study was to compare the accumulated clinical outcomes of two Malaysian all-comers populations, each treated with different polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stents (PF-SES) of similar stent design.

Methods

The Malaysian subpopulation of two all-comers observational studies based on the same protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02629575 and NCT02905214) were combined and compared to a Malaysian-only cohort which was treated with a later-generation PF-SES. The PF-SES’s used differed only in their bare-metal backbone architecture, with otherwise identical sirolimus coating. The primary endpoint was the accumulated target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate at 12 months. The rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), stent thrombosis (ST) and myocardial infarction (MI) were part of the secondary endpoints.

Results

A total of 643 patients were treated with either the first-generation PF-SES (413 patients) or second-generation PF-SES (230 patients). Patient demographics were similar in terms of age (p = 0.744), male gender (0.987), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.293), hypertension (p = 0.905) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS, 44.8% vs. 46.1%, p = 0.752) between groups. There were no differences between treatment groups in terms of lesion length (20.8 ± 7.3 mm vs. 22.9 ± 7.9, p = 0.111) or vessel diameter (2.87 ± 0.39 vs. 2.93 ± 0.40, p = 0.052) despite numerically smaller diameters in the first-generation PF-SES group. The second-generation PF-SES tended to have more complex lesions as characterized by calcification (10.3% vs. 16.2%, p = 0.022), severe tortuosity (3.5% vs. 6.9%, p = 0.041) and B2/C lesions (49.2% vs. 62.8%, p < 0.001). The accumulated TLR rates did not differ significantly between the first- and second-generation PF-SES (0.8% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.891). The accumulated MACE rates were not significantly different (p = 0.561), at 1.5% (6/413) and 2.2% (5/230), respectively.

Conclusions

Modifications in coronary stent architecture which enhance the radial strength and radiopacity without gross changes in strut thickness and design do not seem to impact clinical outcomes.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02629575 and NCT02905214.

In-Stent Restenosis and a Drug-Coated Balloon: Insights from a Clinical Therapeutic Strategy on Coronary Artery Diseases

Coronary heart disease is a major cause of death and disability in developed countries. Stent implantation has become an efficacious treatment for a culprit lesion vessel of the coronary artery. However, 10%–20% restenosis is still an important complication that restricts the clinical safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents. In-stent restenosis may lead to the recurrence of major cardiovascular adverse events, including angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, and even sudden cardiac death. These events are currently serious problems that occur after coronary stent implantation. Clinical physicians face a difficult choice for in-stent restenosis treatment. Recent studies indicate that a drug-coated balloon has promising clinical efficacy similar to the drug-eluting stents for treating coronary in-stent restenosis. Therefore, in this study, we highlight the progress of coronary intervention and the use of drug-coated balloons in the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR).

Real-World Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Following Polymer-Free Sirolimus-Eluting Stent Implantations to Treat Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives

The objective of this post hoc analysis was to analyze real-world dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) regimens following polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent (PF-SES) implantations in an unselected patient population.

Methods

Patient-level data from two all-comers observational studies (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02629575 and NCT02905214) were pooled and analyzed in terms of their primary endpoint. During the data verification process, we observed substantial deviations from DAPT guideline recommendations. To illuminate this gap between clinical practice and guideline recommendations, we conducted a post hoc analysis of DAPT regimens and clinical event rates for which we defined the net adverse event rate (NACE) consisting of target lesion revascularization (TLR, primary endpoint of all-comers observational studies) all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis (ST), and bleeding events. A logistic regression was utilized to determine predictors why ticagrelor was used in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients instead of the guideline-recommended clopidogrel.

Results

For stable CAD, the composite endpoint of clinical, bleeding, and stent thrombosis, i.e., NACE, between the clopidogrel and ticagrelor treatment groups was not different (5.4% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.745). Likewise, in the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) cohort, the NACE rates were not different between both DAPT strategies (9.2% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.927). There were also no differences in the accumulated rates for TLR, myocardial infarction ([MI], mortality, bleeding events, and stent thrombosis in elective and ACS patients. The main predictors for ticagrelor use in stable CAD patients were age < 65 years, smaller vessels, treatment of ostial and calcified lesions, and in-stent restenosis.

Conclusion

Within the framework of a post hoc analysis based on a real-world, large cohort study, there were no differences in the combined endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), bleeding and thrombotic events for clopidogrel and ticagrelor in stable CAD or ACS patients. Despite the recommendation for clopidogrel by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), real-world ticagrelor use was observed in subgroups of stable CAD patients that ought to be explored in future trials.

Clinical implication of neointimal burden in in-stent restenosis treated with drug-coated balloon

BACKGROUND

Although drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty is a well-established drug-eluting stent (DES) in-stent restenosis (ISR) strategy, there are minimal data regarding the association of neointimal burden on optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and after DCB and adverse clinical events. This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of neointimal burden measured with OCT in patients with DES ISR after DCB angioplasty.

METHODS

From 2010 through 2013, a total of 122 patients with 122 ISR lesions were treated with DCB, which was preceded and followed by OCT examination. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE, a composite occurrence of cardiovascular cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI], or target lesion revascularization [TLR]) were evaluated.

RESULTS

MACE occurred in 27 patients (4 nonfatal MIs and 23 TLRs) during the follow-up (median: 55.3 months, interquartile range 43.1-66.0). The mean lumen area was significantly smaller (3.21 ± 2.42 mm² vs. 4.80 ± 2.53 mm² , p = .005) and the mean percentage of neointimal volume derived by OCT was greater (49.3 ± 9.2% vs. 38.3 ± 17.5%, p = .006) in patients with MACE before DCB angioplasty. The pre-procedural mean percentage of neointimal volume (cut-off 50%, area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve = 0.644, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.531-0.758, p = .022) and post-procedural mean percentage of neointimal volume (cut-off 25%, area under ROC curve = 0.659, 95% CI = 0.546-0.773, p = .012) were identified as significant parameters to predict MACE.

CONCLUSION

The OCT-derived mean percentages of neointimal volume before and after DCB angioplasty can be important parameters for predicting future MACE in patients with DES ISR.

Comparing efficacy of drug-coated balloon-only approach and stent approach in treating de novo coronary artery lesions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Drug-coated balloons (DCB) have been a novel alternative therapeutic strategy in de novo coronary artery diseases. However, the clinical feasibility of the DCB-only approach in treating small vessel disease remains controversial, while study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the DCB-only approach versus stent approaches in treating large vessel disease is limited.

METHODS

From February 2020 to May 2020, we will search Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chongqing VIP Database for eligible trials comparing DCB with drug-eluting stents for treatment of de novo lesions in both small vessel disease and large vessel disease. The primary endpoint is major adverse cardiac events (MACE); the secondary endpoints include in-lesion late lumen loss, binary restenosis, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization (TLR), mortality and target vessel thrombosis. Meta-analysis will be conducted using Review Manager software (V.5.3).

RESULTS

The results will be presented as risk ratios for dichotomous data, and weighted mean differences for continuous data.

CONCLUSION

We will assess outcomes of the DCB-only approach in the treatment of de novo lesions compared with the stent approach.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020164484.

Systematic Scoring Balloon Lesion Preparation for Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty in Clinical Routine: Results of the PASSWORD Observational Study

Introduction

Scoring balloon angioplasty (SBA) for lumen gain prior to stent implantations or drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCB) is considered an essential interventional tool for lesion preparation. Recent evidence indicates that SBA may play a pivotal role in enhancing the angiographic and clinical outcomes of DCB angioplasty.

Methods

We studied the systematic use of SBA with a low profile, non-slip element device prior to DCB angioplasty in an unselected, non-randomized patient population. This prospective, all-comers study enrolled patients with de novo lesions as well as in-stent restenotic lesions in bare metal stents (BMS-ISR) and drug-eluting stents (DES-ISR). The primary endpoint was the target lesion failure (TLF) rate at 9 months (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02554292).

Results

A total of 481 patients (496 lesions) were recruited to treat de novo lesions (78.4%, 377), BMS-ISR (4.0%, 19), and DES-ISR (17.6%, 85). Overall risk factors were acute coronary syndrome (ACS, 20.6%, 99), diabetes mellitus (46.8%, 225), and atrial fibrillation (8.5%, 41). Average lesion lengths were 16.7 ± 10.4 mm in the de novo group, and 20.1 ± 8.9 mm (BMS-ISR) and 16.2 ± 9.8 mm (DES-ISR) in the ISR groups. Scoring balloon diameters were 2.43 ± 0.41 mm (de novo), 2.71 ± 0.31 mm (BMS-ISR), and 2.92 ± 0.42 mm (DES-ISR) whereas DCB diameters were 2.60 ± 0.39 mm (de novo), 3.00 ± 0.35 mm (BMS-ISR), and 3.10 ± 0.43 mm (DES-ISR), respectively. The overall accumulated TLF rate of 3.0% (14/463) was driven by significantly higher target lesion revascularization rates in the BMS-ISR (5.3%, 1/19) and the DES-ISR group (6.0%, 5/84). In de novo lesions, the TLF rate was 1.1% (4/360) without differences between calcified and non-calcified lesions (p = 0.158) and small vs. large reference vessel diameters with a cutoff value of 3.0 mm (p = 0.901).

Conclusions

The routine use of a non-slip element scoring balloon catheter to prepare lesions suitable for drug-coated balloon angioplasty is associated with high procedural success rates and low TLF rates in de novo lesions.

Unrestricted use of polymer-free sirolimus eluting stents in routine clinical practice

Stent designs with ultrathin struts may further increase the procedural success of challenging lesion subsets. The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of ultrathin strut, polymer-free sirolimus eluting stent (PF-SES) implantations in a large scale, unselected patient population.Adult patients underwent percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with a thin-strut PF-SES. Data from two all-comers observational studies having the same protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02629575 and NCT02905214) were pooled. The accumulated target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate at 9-12 months was the primary endpoint. All dual antiplatelet therapy strategies according to the applicable guidelines were permissible.In total, 7243 patients were prospectively enrolled for PCI with PF-SES in stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Major risk factors in the overall cohort were diabetes (37.3%), ST elevation myocardial infarction (18.1%) and non-ST myocardial infarction (24.6%). The follow-up rate was 88.6% in the overall population. The TLR rate in the overall cohort was 2.2% whereas definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST) occurred in 0.7%. In patients with in-stent restenosis lesions, the major adverse cardiac events rate was 6.4% whereas the corresponding rate for isolated left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease was highest with 6.7% followed by patients with culprit lesions in vein bypasses (VB, 7.1%). The mortality rate in patients treated in VB lesions was highest with 5.4%, followed by the isolated LMCA subgroup (3.4%) and ACS (2.6%).PCI with PF-SES in an unselected patient population, is associated with low clinical event and ST rates. Furthermore, PF-SES angioplasty in niche indications demonstrated favorable safety and efficacy outcomes with high procedural success rates.

Drug-Coated Balloons versus Everolimus-Eluting Stents in Patients with In-Stent Restenosis: A Pair-Wise Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Objective

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of drug-coated balloons (DCB) with everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and the differential relative effect of DCB in patients with drug-eluting stents (DES)-ISR and bare metal stents (BMS)-ISR.

Background

The efficiency and safety of DCB and EES need to be assessed for the treatment of ISR.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and EMBASE to identify all relevant studies. Angiographic results and clinical events were separately assessed. Subgroup meta-analyses were performed according to the type of restenosed stent.

Results

Six randomized trials with 1134 patients were included. The overall pooled outcomes indicated that DCB was associated with lower minimum lumen diameter (mean difference (MD) = −0.17, 95% CI = −0.29 to −0.05, P = 0.006) and higher target lesion revascularization (risk ratio (RR) = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.36 to 4.18, P = 0.002) than EES. However, the subgroup meta-analyses showed that DCB was inferior to EES only in DES-ISR patients, with lower minimum lumen diameter (MD = −0.25, 95% CI = −0.37 to −0.14, P < 0.001), higher percent diameter stenosis (MD = 5.37, 95% CI = 1.33 to 9.42, P = 0.009), more binary restenosis (RR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.20 to 3.58, P = 0.009), and higher incidence of target vessel revascularization (RR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.22 to 3.50, P = 0.007) and target lesion revascularization (RR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.28 to 4.22, P = 0.002). No differences in angiographic results and clinical events were found between DCB and EES in BMS-ISR patients.

Conclusions

DCB was inferior to EES in DES-ISR and comparable in BMS-ISR in terms of angiographic results and clinical events.

Polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent use in Europe and Asia: Ethnic differences in demographics and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to assess regional and ethnic differences in an unselected patient population treated with polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stents (PF-SES) in Asia and Europe.

METHODS

Two all-comers observational studies based on the same protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02629575 and NCT02905214) were combined for data analysis to assure sufficient statistical power. The primary endpoint was the accumulated target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate at 9-12 months.

RESULTS

Of the total population of 7243 patients, 44.0% (3186) were recruited in the Mediterranean region and 32.0% (2317) in central Europe. The most prominent Asian region was South Korea (17.6%, 1274) followed by Malaysia (5.7%, 413). Major cardiovascular risk factors varied significantly across regions. The overall rates for accumulated TLR and MACE were low with 2.2% (140/6374) and 4.4% (279/6374), respectively. In ACS patients, there were no differences in terms of MACE, TLR, MI and accumulated mortality between the investigated regions. Moreover, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) regimens were substantially longer in Asian countries even in patients with stable coronary artery disease as compared to those in Europe.

CONCLUSIONS

PF-SES angioplasty is associated with low clinical event rates in all regions. Further reductions in clinical event rates seem to be associated with longer DAPT regimens.

Drug-coated Balloons or Drug-eluting Stents – Determining an Optimum Strategy for Patients with High Bleeding Risk

Collapse

Platelet-derived nanomotor coated balloon for atherosclerosis combination therapy

A nanorobot is used to realize deep penetration of drugs in atherosclerotic plaque, photothermal ablation of inflammatory macrophages and long-term anti-proliferation effects.

Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in elective drug-coated balloon angioplasty

OBJECTIVES

We sought to answer whether 1-month duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is safe after elective drug-coated balloon only (DCB) angioplasty.

BACKGROUND

The duration of DAPT after elective DCB was called into question after the ESC Focused DAPT Update of 2017. Until then, a 1-month duration of DAPT was considered safe by national consensus groups (German, Italian, and Chinese) supported by data from prospective worldwide registries. The ESC Guidelines recommended a 6-month duration of DAPT based on evidence from in-stent restenosis randomized controlled trials only.

METHODS

Retrospective, real-world population, single-center analysis conducted from January 1, 2012 to March 31, 2017 in a high-volume, tertiary PCI center. Consecutive patients receiving 1-month duration of DAPT after elective DCB angioplasty were included. We identified a primary composite outcome of cardiac death, myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization at 6-months.

RESULTS

A total of 303 patients (78.5% male) with mean age of 67 ± 12.5 were included. This incorporated 86.1% de novo lesions and 56.5% nonsmall (≥3 mm diameter) coronary arteries treated. There were no reported outcomes of lesion thrombosis, target vessel MI, target lesion revascularization or cardiac death at 6-months. There were two (0.6%) nontarget vessel MIs and one (0.3%) noncardiac death.

CONCLUSION

One-month duration of DAPT appears safe after elective DCB-only angioplasty, highlighting this strategy for patients at high-risk of bleeding. These results also show favorable clinical outcomes for de novo coronary artery disease and nonsmall coronary arteries treated with DCB-only angioplasty. A 1-month duration of DAPT appears a safe and attractive option.

Long-term clinical safety and efficacy of drug-coated balloon in the treatment of in-stent restenosis: A meta-analysis and systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical safety and efficacy of drug-coated balloon (DCB) in the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR).

BACKGROUND

There is a long-term safety issue in peripheral arterial disease patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloon, this has also raised concerns on DCB in coronary intervention.

METHODS

Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nine observational studies (OSs) were included with a total of 3,782 patients (1,827 in the DCB group, 1,955 in the drug-eluting stent [DES] group) being analyzed. The primary outcome measure-major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death (CD), stent thrombosis (ST), all-cause death (AD), and coronary angiography outcomes included late lumen loss (LLL), minimum luminal diameter (MLD), diameter stenosis (DS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

DCB treatment significantly reduced the LLL (MD: -0.13; [CI -0.23 to -0.03], p = .01). No difference was found for MLD (MD: -0.1; [CI -0.24 to 0.04], p = .17) and DS% (RR = 0.98 [CI 0.80-1.20], p = .86). There was no significant difference in TLR, TVR, MI, CD, ST, AD, and the overall incidence of MACEs between the two groups up to 3 years follow-up. Subgroup analysis for different type of ISR and DES showed no significant difference in the incidence of endpoints, and there is no difference when considering RCTs or OSs only.

CONCLUSIONS

The safety and efficacy of the DCB and DES in the treatment of ISR is comparable at up to 3 years follow-up.

Drug-coated balloons for coronary artery disease: current concepts and controversies

Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) are a novel development for percutaneous coronary intervention. The first successful application was in-stent restenosis but in recent years, strong evidence has been released for its use in native small-vessels disease. Additional applications such as acute myocardial infarction, chronic total occlusion and bifurcation lesions are still under investigation. This article reviews the key studies evaluating the role of DCBs in several settings and reports on interesting cases where DCBs showed positive results for high-risk patients with neoplasm, as well as with high bleeding risk, planned surgery or renal injury. We also highlight a new biodegradable therapy for coronary bifurcation treatment, in which a bioresorbable vascular scaffold is implanted in the main branch, completed with a DCB angioplasty in the side branch when a treatment is deemed necessary.

Instantaneous wave-free ratio-guided paclitaxel-coated balloon treatment for de novo coronary lesions

Paclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) treatment guided by fractional flow reserve (FFR) is safe and effective for de novo coronary lesions. It is unknown whether the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), an alternative measure that does not require the administration of adenosine, will offer benefits similar to those of FFR in de novo lesion treatment with PCB. Baseline, post-balloon and 9-month angiographical parameters were obtained from 116 lesions of 104 patients. The cutoff value of iFR after balloon angioplasty used to define functionally nonsignificant residual stenotic lesions was 0.86 and they were subdivided into PCB or Stent group according to the treated device. The primary endpoint was late lumen loss at 9 months and the secondary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF) at 3 years. Fifty-eight lesions were treated with PCB only and 58 lesions were treated with metal stent implantation. There were no differences in iFR between PCB and Stent groups at baseline (0.76 ± 0.19 vs. 0.73 ± 0.23, p = 0.630) and after procedure (0.93 ± 0.04 vs. 0.94 ± 0.05, p = 0.574). At 9 months, late lumen loss was significantly lower in PCB group compared with Stent group (0.04 ± 0.32 mm vs. 0.59 ± 0.77 mm, p = 0.001). At 3-year follow-up, TVF were not different between the treatment groups (5.2% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.453). PCB treatment guided by iFR measured right after balloon angioplasty is safe and effective for de novo coronary lesions with good angiographic results at 9 months and similar clinical outcomes at 3 years compared to stent group.

Drug-coated balloon treatment in coronary artery disease: Recommendations from an Asia-Pacific Consensus Group

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently the leading cause of death globally, and the prevalence of this disease is growing more rapidly in the Asia-Pacific region than in Western countries. Although the use of metal coronary stents has rapidly increased thanks to the advancement of safety and efficacy of newer generation drug eluting stent (DES), patients are still negatively affected by some the inherent limitations of this type of treatment, such as stent thrombosis or restenosis, including neoatherosclerosis, and the obligatory use of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with unknown optimal duration. Drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment is based on a leave-nothing-behind concept and therefore it is not limited by stent thrombosis and long-term DAPT; it directly delivers an anti-proliferative drug which is coated on a balloon after improving coronary blood flow. At present, DCB treatment is recommended as the first-line treatment option in metal stent-related restenosis linked to DES and bare metal stent. For de novo coronary lesions, the application of DCB treatment is extended further, for conditions such as small vessel disease, bifurcation lesions, and chronic total occlusion lesions, and others. Recently, several reports have suggested that fractional flow reserve guided DCB application was safe for larger coronary artery lesions and showed good long-term outcomes. Therefore, the aim of these recommendations of the consensus group was to provide adequate guidelines for patients with CAD based on objective evidence, and to extend the application of DCB to a wider variety of coronary diseases and guide their most effective and correct use in actual clinical practice.

Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes After Stent-less Coronary Intervention Using Rotational Atherectomy and Drug-Coated Balloon in Patients with De Novo Lesions

OBJECTIVES

We investigated angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with de novo lesions undergoing rotational atherectomy (RA) followed by drug-coated balloon (DCB) dilation (RA/DCB).

BACKGROUND

Implantation of drug-eluting stent (DES) has been a mainstay of the interventional treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD); however, there still remain several DES-unsuitable clinical/lesion conditions. Nowadays DCB for de novo lesions has attracted more attention, and RA, which tends not to cause major dissection but to debulk intima, might be one of suitable pre-treatments before DCB.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Thirty patients (34 lesions) undergoing RA/DCB for de novo lesions were enrolled. Clinical/lesion background included severe calcification, calcified nodule, inlet/outlet of aneurysm, ostial lesion, severe thrombocytopenia, bleeding tendency, and/or sequelae of Kawasaki disease. The largest burr size used was 1.83 ± 0.23 mm, and the mean DCB diameter was 2.71 ± 0.47 mm. Angiographic success was obtained in 94% of the lesions. No acute closure but 1 no reflow occurred. Repeat angiography (mean, 6.6 months after procedure) was performed for 19 lesions. Frequency of binary restenosis was 21.1%, and late lumen loss was 0.34 ± 0.30 mm. During a mean follow-up period of 13.1 months, 6 deaths (2 sudden deaths, 1 cardiac death, 3 non-cardiac deaths), 2 strokes, and 2 target lesion revascularizations were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Stent-less PCI using RA/DCB might be an alternative revascularization therapy for CAD patients complicated with DES-unsuitable conditions.