Restenosis after bare-metal stents implantation in small coronary arteries

Potential of bare uncoated metal stents in prevention of restenosis in coronary arteries with diameter of 2.2-3.0 mm in comparison with balloon angioplasty (BA) as studied in 426 patients with ischemic heart disease (mean age 58 +/- 11 years, 16% women, 8% with diabetes, total cholesterol 211 +/- 44 mg/dl, all received aspirin and clopiclogrel). BA was carried out in 214 patients (mean artery diameter 2.45 +/- 0.25 mm) and coronary stenting (CS) - in 212 patients (mean artery diameter 2.43 +/- 0.27 mm). immediate success rate was 85.5 and 96.2% in BA and CS groups, respectively (p < 0.001). When complementary methods of revascularization were taken into account success rate of the whole intervention was 100% in both groups. Inhospital cardiovascular complications developed in 3.7 and 2.8% of patients in BA and CS groups, respectively (p=ns). During 6 months of follow-up rates of target vessel restenosis and repeat percutaneous interventions were 24.3 and 15.6% (p=0.034) while total rate of complications related to target vessel was 36.9 and 26.9% in BA and CS groups, respectively (p=0.035). Thus CS compared with RA in patients with low risk of restenosis development in small coronary arteria provides better immediate, inhospital and remote results.