Effects of the simultaneous use of drug-eluting stents and statins in an atherosclerotic animal model.

INTRODUCTION The use of statins and medicated stents (MS) is the best available therapy for the treatment of severe coronary disease in selected cases. However, the vascular effects of the simultaneous use of both therapies are unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS An experimental study was carried out on 60 NZ rabbits with advanced atherosclerosis, distributed in four groups of 15 animals each. Group 1: Control. Group 2: paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in the thoracic aorta. Group 3: Atorvastatin 2.5mg/day po+PES implant, and Group 4: Atorvastatin 2.5mg/day po. They were followed up at 30, 60 and 90 days. Histo-morphometric analyses were carried out. RESULTS A total of 60 PES were successfully implanted. One animal from Group 3 died due to respiratory infection. PES increased the lumen diameter and area, as well as the vessel area; atorvastatin induced a potent plaque regression. In the PES group, the lumen diameter was 4.25±0.0mm, lumen area was 14.2±0.4mm(2), vessel area was 16.7±0.0mm(2), and plaque/media area ratio was 0.1±0.0. In the PES+atorvastatin group the measurements were 4.9±0.1mm (p<0.001), 18.6±0.8mm(2) (p=0.005), 21.6±0.9mm(2) (p=0.007) and 0.8±0.08 (p=0.032), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirm the potent synergistic mechanical effect of the PES and plaque regression of the statins in an animal model with advanced atherosclerosis.