Influence of frequency of stenting on acute and one-year follow-up results.
BACKGROUND
There has been a continuous increase in the frequency of stenting, with recent reports suggesting performing stenting in all coronary angioplasty interventions. The aim of this retrospective investigation was to study the in-hospital and 1-year event rates of the most and the least avid stent user (both highly experienced) at our institution.


METHODS
A total of 322 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angioplasty at our institution were retrospectively studied. Post-intervention CK, CK-MB and troponin T values and information of major in-hospital cardiac events were obtained from the charts. Events during a 1-year follow-up were collected. Comparisons were made between patients treated by the most generous (operator 1: 71% stenting) and the most frugal (operator 2: 49% stenting) stent user.


RESULTS
The 2 groups were comparable. Post-intervention CK max (418+/- 744 versus 427+/- 1250; p = 0.33), CK-MB (105+/- 159 versus 239+/-263; p = 0.07) and troponin T (149+/-326 versus 282+/- 380; p = 0.3) values were similar in both groups. In-hospital (2% versus 1.8%; p = 1) and 1-year follow-up cardiac events (21% versus 18%; p = 0.58) between both groups were also comparable.


CONCLUSIONS
Stenting is a useful tool for selected patients. However, a higher frequency of stenting does not beneficially influence in-hospital or 1-year cardiac events. These findings recommend provisional stenting rather then elective stenting.
Mehta
Haresh
H
Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Hotz
Renate
R
Windecker
Stephen
S
Eberli
Franz R
FR
Meier
Bernhard
B
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors