title: Clinical results of two year dual antiplatelet therapy after primary percutaneous coronary intervention with paclitaxel-eluting stents: a single centre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term outcome of extended dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unexplored. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the 2 year safety and efficacy of continuous dual antiplatelet treatment in patients undergoing primary PCI with paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) for acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A series of 145 consecutive patients with STEMI underwent primary PCI with PES. All patients received intracoronary high dose bolus and 24 hours i.v. infusion of tirofiban and were then treated with dual anti-aggregation up to 2 years. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was evaluated at 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years during the follow-up period. Overall, the rate of cumulative MACE detected at follow-up was 2.7%, with a 1.4% incidence of mortality and a 0.7% need for target vessel revascularisation. No major bleeding occurred during follow-up (95% C.I. 0-2.6%). Safety analysis revealed that minor bleeding occurred in 5 patients (3.4%) at the time of PCI, and that thrombocytopenia developed in 3 patients (2.1%) with the extended clopidogrel course. During the 2 year follow-up, in-stent thrombosis was seen in only 1 patient who stopped drug treatment against medical advice, but did not occur in patients who remained on dual antiplatelet therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows in a 'real world' scenario that sustained dual antiplatelet therapy following primary PCI with PES in patients with STEMI is associated with very good 2 year clinical results.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Heart and Great Vessels "Attilio Reale", "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mangieri
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanzilli
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelliccia
authors.forename: Paolo Emilio
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Puddu
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Acconcia
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paravati
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaudio