title: Comparison of coronary artery stenting outcomes in the eras before and after the introduction of drug-eluting stents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have compared medium-term outcomes for drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare metal stents, and most are relatively small randomized controlled trials. Furthermore, since the introduction of DES, there has been increased use and duration of use of clopidogrel, statins, and other evidence-based therapies. The purpose of the present study was to compare outcomes for patients who underwent stenting in the eras before and after the introduction of DES.
  
  
  RESULTS
  New York state patients undergoing stenting in all nonfederal hospitals in the state were studied. Patients were excluded if they had a previous revascularization. Risk factors that were significant predictors of adverse outcomes were used to adjust adverse outcome rates. The study included 11,436 patients who received stents between October 1, 2002, and March 31, 2003, and 12,926 patients who underwent stenting between October 1, 2003, and March 31, 2004. Death rates, the combined end point of death and myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal MI requiring readmission, target vessel revascularization, and target lesion revascularization were compared at 2 years. Patients in the DES era had significantly better risk-adjusted outcomes for death/MI (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 0.97), 9.9% versus 10.8%; nonfatal MI requiring readmission (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.76 to 0.97); target vessel revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.56 to 0.64), 11.2% versus 17.9%; and target lesion revascularization (hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.51 to 0.59), 8.4% versus 14.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients in the DES era experienced lower rates of death/MI, nonfatal MI, target vessel revascularization, and target lesion revascularization, but there were no differences in the rates of death. These improvements are likely a result of increased use of clopidogrel, statins, and dual antiplatelet therapy, in addition to the introduction of DES.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, State University of New York, University at Albany, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144-3456, USA. elh03@health.state.ny.us
authors.forename: Edward L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Racz
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walford
authors.forename: Samin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Spencer B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000401:mortality*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis