Very early neointimal coverage of new biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stent compared with durable polymer everolimus-eluting stent evaluated by optical frequency domain imaging.

Abstract

Polymeric component is associated with the increased risk of delayed vessel healing and stent endothelialization. We aimed to clarify neointimal coverage within 1month after implantation of the new-generation abluminal biodegradable polymer (BP) drug-eluting stent (DES) compared with the second-generation durable polymer (DP) everolimus-eluting stent (EES). Between November 2015 and October 2016, 32 BP-DES and 25 DP-EES were evaluated by optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) within 1month after the procedure. The average interval to follow-up OFDI was not significantly different between the groups (16.3 ± 7.7 days in BP-DES vs. 15.4 ± 7.4 days in DP-EES, P = 0.75). Neointimal coverage was significantly superior in BP-DES in both apposed and malapposed strut (apposed: 53.9% in BP-DES vs. 28.0% in DP-EES, P < 0.001; malapposed: 22.9% in BP-DES vs. 7.5% in DP-EES, P = 0.001). When the follow-up period was divided into < 2 and > 2weeks, neointimal coverage was also significantly superior in BP-DES (< 2weeks: 47.7% in BP-DES vs. 19.2% in DP-EES, P < 0.001; >2 weeks: 60.1% in BP-DES vs. 37.4% in DP-EES, P = 0.001). The new-generation BP-DES showed excellent early neointimal coverage compared with the second-generation DP-EES in both apposed and malapposed struts.