Comparison of a polymer-based paclitaxel-eluting stent with a bare metal stent in patients with complex coronary artery disease: a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Compared with bare metal stents, drug-eluting stents reduce restenosis in noncomplex lesions. The utility of drug-eluting stents has not been evaluated in more difficult stenoses.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and efficacy of the polymer-based, slow-release paclitaxel-eluting stent in a patient population with more complex lesions than previously studied.


METHODS
Prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter randomized trial conducted from February 2003 to March 2004 at 66 academic and community-based institutions with 1156 patients who underwent stent implantation in a single coronary artery stenosis (vessel diameter, 2.25-4.0 mm; lesion length, 10-46 mm), including 664 patients (57.4%) with complex or previously unstudied lesions (requiring 2.25-mm, 4.0-mm, and/or multiple stents) and 9-month clinical and angiographic follow-up.


METHODS
Patients were randomly assigned to receive 1 or more bare metal stents (n = 579) or identical-appearing paclitaxel-eluting stents (n = 577).


METHODS
Ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization at 9 months.


RESULTS
Baseline characteristics were well matched. Diabetes was present in 31% of patients. The mean (SD) reference vessel diameter was 2.69 (0.57) mm, the reference lesion length was 17.2 (9.2) mm, and 78% of lesions were type B2/C. A mean (SD) of 1.38 (0.58) stents (total mean [SD] length, 28.4 [13.1] mm) were implanted per lesion; 33% of lesions required multiple stents. Stents that were 2.25 mm and 4.0 mm in diameter were used in 18% and 17% of lesions, respectively. Compared with bare metal stents, paclitaxel-eluting stents reduced the 9-month rate of target lesion revascularization from 15.7% to 8.6% (P<.001) and target vessel revascularization from 17.3% to 12.1% (P = .02). Similar rates were observed for cardiac death or myocardial infarction (5.5% for bare metal stent group vs 5.7% for paclitaxel-eluting stent group) and stent thrombosis (0.7% in both groups). Angiographic restenosis was reduced from 33.9% to 18.9% in the entire study cohort (P<.001), including among patients receiving 2.25-mm stents (49.4% vs 31.2%; P = .01), 4.0-mm stents (14.4% vs 3.5%; P = .02), and multiple stents (57.8% vs 27.2%; P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with a bare metal stent, implantation of the paclitaxel-eluting stent in a patient population with complex lesions effectively reduces clinical and angiographic restenosis.
Stone
Gregg W
GW
Department of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center and Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, NY 10032, USA. gs2184@columbia.edu
Ellis
Stephen G
SG
Cannon
Louis
L
Mann
J Tift
JT
Greenberg
Joel D
JD
Spriggs
Douglas
D
O'Shaughnessy
Charles D
CD
DeMaio
Samuel
S
Hall
Patrick
P
Popma
Jeffrey J
JJ
Koglin
Joerg
J
Russell
Mary E
ME
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011108:Polymers; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011108:Polymers; D017239:Paclitaxel