Abstract 9744: Effect of High-intensity Statin Therapy on Strut Coverage After Drug-eluting Stent Implantation, Serial Follow-up Optical Coherence Tomographic Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Using optical coherence tomography (OCT), the impact of high-intensity statin therapy on stent strut coverage was evaluated in drug-eluting stent (DES)-treated patients. Hypothesis: The influence of high-intensity statin therapy on the serial stent healing process was not fully investigated Methods: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to two groups according to the statin dose (atorvastatin 40 mg as high-intensity statin therapy [n=29] vs. pravastatin 20 mg as low- intensity statin therapy [n=31]). Serial OCT evaluation at post-procedure, and at the 3- and 12-month follow-up was performed in 50 patients with 54 stents (23 atorvastatin-treated patients vs. 27 pravastatin-treated patients). The percentage of uncovered struts was defined as the ratio of uncovered struts to total struts. The primary endpoint was the percentage of uncovered struts at the 12-month follow-up. The secondary endpoint was the percentage of uncovered struts at the 3-month follow-up, and the comparative percentage change (Δ) of uncovered struts at the 3- and 12-month follow-up between the different intensity statin therapies. Results: The percentage of uncovered struts was 7.4% (range: 4.3-10.4%) in atorvastatin- treated patients vs. 10.6% (range: 5.7-22.6%) in pravastatin-treated patients at the 3-month follow-up (p=0.13), and 1.3% (0.3–3.8%) vs. 2.5% (0.9–9.7%), respectively, at the 12-month follow-up (p=0.01). The percentage Δ of uncovered struts from 3 to 12 months follow-up was -7.9±8.5% in atorvastatin-treated patients vs. -9.3±12.5% in pravastatin-treated patients (p=0.67). Conclusions: This study suggested that high-intensity statin therapy might provide beneficial effect for the vascular healing process after DES implantation.