Does the use of paclitaxel or rapamycin-eluting stent decrease further need for coronary-artery bypass grafting when compared with bare-metal stent?
The safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents reduce the need for surgical revascularization. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether paclitaxel or rapamycin-eluting stent are effective in avoiding the need for coronary-artery bypass grafting.



This was a systematic review of the literature using the methodology of the Cochrane Collaboration. The type of study considered was controlled randomized trials; the type of intervention was drug-eluting or bare-metal stents; and the main outcome investigated was coronary-artery bypass grafting.



The ten studies included in this systematic review did not show any statistically significant difference between the drug-eluting stents and the bare-metal stents with regard to the outcome of coronary-artery bypass grafting (confidence interval: 0.31 to 1.42).



The surgical revascularization rate was not reduced by the use of drug-eluting stents.
Lemos
Hernani Pinto de
HP
Brazilian Cochrane Center, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. cochrane.dmed@epm.br
Atallah
Alvaro Nagib
AN
D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054697:Cytostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D006801:Humans; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D054697:Cytostatic Agents; D017239:Paclitaxel; D020123:Sirolimus