Vascular responses at proximal and distal edges of paclitaxel-eluting stents: serial intravascular ultrasound analysis from the TAXUS II trial.
BACKGROUND
On the basis of brachytherapy experience, edge stenosis has been raised as a potential limitation for drug-eluting stents. We used serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to prospectively analyze vessel responses in adjacent reference segments after implantation of polymer-controlled paclitaxel-eluting stents.


RESULTS
TAXUS II was a randomized, double-blind trial with 2 consecutive patient cohorts that compared slow-release (SR) and moderate-release (MR) paclitaxel-eluting stents with control bare metal stents (BMS). By protocol, all patients had postprocedure and 6-month follow-up IVUS. Quantitative IVUS analysis was performed by an independent core laboratory, blinded to treatment allocation, in 5-mm vessel segments immediately proximal and distal to the stent. Serial IVUS was available for 106 SR, 107 MR, and 214 BMS patients. For all 3 groups, a significant decrease in proximal-edge lumen area was observed at 6 months. The decrease was comparable (by ANOVA, P=0.194) for patients in the SR (-0.54+/-2.1 mm2) and MR (-0.88+/-1.9 mm2) groups compared with the BMS (-1.02+/-1.9 mm2) group. For the distal edge, a significant decrease in lumen area was only observed with BMS (-0.91+/-2.0 mm2, P<0.0001); this decrease was significantly attenuated with SR (0.08+/-2.0 mm2) and MR (-0.19+/-1.7 mm2) stents (P<0.0001 by ANOVA). Negative vessel remodeling was observed at the proximal (-0.48+/-2.2 mm2, P=0.011) but not the distal edges of BMS and at neither edge of SR or MR stents.


CONCLUSIONS
The marked reduction in in-stent restenosis with SR or MR stents is not associated with increased edge stenosis at 6-month follow-up IVUS. In fact, compared with BMS, there is instead a significant reduction in late lumen loss at the distal edge with TAXUS stents.
Serruys
Patrick W
PW
Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. p.w.j.c.serruys@erasmusmc.nl
Degertekin
Muzaffer
M
Tanabe
Kengo
K
Russell
Mary E
ME
Guagliumi
Giulio
G
Webb
John
J
Hamburger
Jaap
J
Rutsch
Wolfgang
W
Kaiser
Christoph
C
Whitbourn
Robert
R
Camenzind
Edoardo
E
Meredith
Ian
I
Reeves
François
F
Nienaber
Christoph
C
Benit
Edouard
E
Disco
Clemens
C
Koglin
Jörg
J
Colombo
Antonio
A
D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
D017239:Paclitaxel