Drug-eluting stents: immediate and long-term results.

INTRODUCTION In this study we present our findings from a series of patients who underwent coronary angioplasty and implantation of drug-eluting stents with rapamycin or paclitaxel. METHODS Two hundred and twenty-three consecutive patients with 343 coronary lesions underwent angioplasty with implantation of 220 rapamycin-eluting stents (Cypher) and 297 paclitaxel-eluting stents (Taxus). RESULTS During the follow up period, 32 patients with 49 lesions had a new coronary angiographic examination because of ischaemia recurrence. The mean follow up time for these patients was 7.2 +/- 3.0 months (2.9-17.1 months). Seven patients showed angiographic restenosis (>50% diameter stenosis) in 9 lesions where stents had been implanted. The type of restenosis was focal in 7 of those lesions (in one it was multifocal), usually at the proximal edge of the stent. In 2 lesions the restenosis was diffuse (1 in-stent, 1 extending beyond the stent margins). The incidence of major adverse coronary events was 4.4% (10 patients: 1 death, 1 non-Q myocardial infarction, 1 Q myocardial infarction and 7 target vessel revascularisation procedures). CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that drug-eluting stents can be used in routine clinical practice, regardless of the type of stenosis and the patients' clinical characteristics. The type of restenosis is mainly focal, though diffuse restenosis may also occur when complex lesions are treated with multiple stents.