title: Similar five-year outcome with paclitaxel- and sirolimus-eluting coronary stents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Millions of patients were treated with the sirolimus-eluting Cypher™ and the paclitaxel-eluting Taxus™ coronary stents with potential late-occurring increase in event rates. Therefore, the long-term outcome follow-up is of major clinical interest.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 2.098 unselected patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI, stable or unstable angina pectoris were randomized to receive Cypher™ (n = 1.065) or Taxus™ (n = 1.033) stents and were followed for 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary end-point; the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization (major adverse cardiac event, MACE), occurred in 467 patients (22.3%); Cypher™ n = 222 (20.8%), Taxus™ n = 245 (23.7%), ns. Definite and probable stent thrombosis occurred in 107 patients (5.1%); Cypher™ n = 51 (4.8%), Taxus™ n = 56 (5.4%), ns. No statistically significant differences were found in the elements of the primary end-point or in other secondary end-points between the two stent groups. After one year, the annual rates of stent thrombosis and MACE remained constant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During 5-year follow-up, the Cypher™ and the Taxus™ coronary stents had similar clinical outcome with no signs of increasing rates of adverse events over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gentofte University Hospital , Hellerup , Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bligaard
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thuesen
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saunamäki
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thayssen
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aarøe
authors.forename: Peter Riis
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Jens Flensted
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lassen
authors.forename: Ghita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stephansen
authors.forename: Jørgen L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jeppesen
authors.forename: Anders Michael
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Galløe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000295:instrumentation; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017239:Paclitaxel; D020123:Sirolimus
keywords: angina; drug eluting stent; myocardial infarction