Comparison of drug-eluting and bare-metal stents in patients with saphenous vein graft stenosis

Abstract

BackgroundThe use of drug-eluting stents (DES) during the percutaneous coronary intervention of patients with degenerated saphenous vein graft (SVG) is uncertain. Although previous studies showed that DES might decrease the rate of re-intervention in patients with SVG stenosis, randomized controlled trials comparing bare-metal stents (BMS) and DES in SVG lesions have been inconclusive.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes in patients undergoing SVG stent implantation treated with DES or BMS.Patients and methodsThis was a retrospective observational study that included 60 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for SVG lesions, comprising 30 patients who were treated with BMS and 30 patients who were treated with DES at National Heart Institute from March 2015 to March 2018. Three years of outcome and major adverse cardiac event (MACE) were recorded. MACE was defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization, and stroke.ResultsAfter three years, there was no significant difference between the two groups in MACE. MACE was reported in five (16.6%) patients in the DES group vs eight (26.6%) patients in the BMS group (P>0.05). Death was reported in one (3.3%) patient in each group. MI was reported in two (6.6%) patients in the DES group vs three (10%) patients in the BMS group (P>0.05). One (3.3%) patient developed stroke in the DES group vs two (6.6%) patients in the BMS group (P>0.05). The need for repeat revascularization was reported in one (3.3%) patient in the DES group vs two (6.6%) patients in the BMS group (P>0.05). Stent thrombosis was reported in six (20%) patients in the DES group vs four (13.3%) patients in the BMS group (P>0.05)ConclusionOur results in this study showed that there was no significant difference between BMS and DES in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for SVG lesions for MACE, such as death, target vessel revascularization, and MI.