title: Design of the 'Stent or Surgery' trial (SoS): a randomized controlled trial to compare coronary artery bypass grafting with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and primary stent implantation in patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease.
abstract: The 'Stent or Surgery' trial (SoS) is a randomized controlled trial to compare coronary artery bypass grafting with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and primary stent implantation in patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. This is a multicentre, multinational venture involving over 40 centres in 12 countries throughout Europe and Canada. Eligible and consenting patients will be randomly allocated, in equal proportions, to open revascularization by CABG or by PTCA with the primary implantation of intracoronary stents. The trial design is pragmatic and imposes few protocol restrictions in patient selection, surgical and intervention techniques or adjunctive medication schedules. The rationale and design of the trial are discussed, including important sub-studies, examining quality of life, neuropsychological outcome, cost and cost benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Invasive Cardiology and Clinical Trials and Evaluation Unit, The Royal Brompton Hospital, London, SW3 6NP, UK.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Stables
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D015607:Stents