title: Making sense of the recent meta-analytical confusion concerning the safety of drug-eluting stents.
abstract: The safety of drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention has been questioned in several independent meta-analyses (i.e., systematic reviews of primary research studies employing statistical methods to provide pooled estimates) published or presented at the end of 2006. Other reviews and meta-analyses have followed in the beginning of 2007, albeit with unclear or conflicting results. This article provides a succinct perspective and critical appraisal of recently published meta-analyses focusing on DES safety, summarising key features and findings of each work, and recommending avenues for further research and practice.
authors.affiliation: Interventional Cardiology, Division of Cardiology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe G L
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Biondi-Zoccai
authors.forename: Pierfrancesco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agostoni
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meliga
authors.forename: Imad
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sheiban