Stent thrombosis following drug-eluting stent implantation. A single-center experience.
BACKGROUND
The risk of stent thrombosis (ST) following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation may extend beyond the initial period after successful implantation.


METHODS
We evaluated the incidence, timing, and clinical outcomes of patients who presented with DES-related early (<or=30 days) and late (>30 days) angiographic ST. Between 1/2004 and 9/2006, a total of 1339 patients underwent DES implantation (90% using Cypher stents) at our institution. Dual antiplatelet therapy was recommended for 3 to 12 months. Clinical follow-up was obtained and adjudicated at 1 and 6 months following any ST event.


RESULTS
We identified eight patients (0.6% of the total patients treated with DES) with definite ST. Their mean age was 67+/-13 years. Six patients (75%) were male and 37.5% (3/8) had diabetes. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was the clinical presentation in 87.5% of patients. Time to ST was 4 days in two (25%) of eight patients. The other six patients (75%) had late ST (>30 days). The median time to late ST was 480 days (range: 90-1080 days). Two patients had recurrent events of late ST. All cases of late ST, except one, occurred after clopidogrel treatment was discontinued. Median time from clopidogrel withdrawal to late ST was 18 months (range: 0.5-35 months). At 6 months' follow-up from the time of ST, the subsequent major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate (including death, re-infarction, recurrent ST or need for emergent CABG) was 62.5% and overall and/or cardiac mortality rate was 12.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that ST occurred infrequently (0.6%) and the majority (75%) of patients developed ST late (>30 days) and beyond the period recommended for dual anti-platelet pharmacotherapy. Major adverse cardiac events following ST are substantial at 6 months and thus deserve careful clinical attention.
Vaknin-Assa
Hana
H
Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Assali
Abid
A
Ukabi
Shimrit
S
Lev
Eli I
EI
Kornowski
Ran
R
D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors