ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tranilast is an anti-allergic drug that suppresses the release of cytokines. An antioxidant, probucol, prevents endothelial dysfunction and oxidation of low density lipoprotein and also inhibits the secretion of interleukin-1 by macrophages. In several studies, both the tranilast and probucol with multivitamins have been shown to decrease the frequency of angiographic restenosis after PCI. METHODS: We analyzed clinical events and restenosis at 6 months following percutaneous coronary angioplasty in 93 patients with 113 coronary arterial lesions after coronary stenting at Soonchunhyang University Hospital between Jan 2001 and Apr 2003. The patients were assigned to following three groups: 39 patients who didn't receive tranilast and antioxidants (control group, M 29, F 10, 61 +/- 10 years) ; 25 patients who received probucol (500 mg), vitamin C (1,000 mg), vitamin E (400 mg) (antioxidant group, M 19, F 6, 62 +/- 10 years) ; 29 patients who received tranilast (400 mg) (Tranilast group, M 18, F 11, 59 +/- 9 years). RESULTS: The restenosis per lesion between three groups was not different significantly (control group, 32.7%; antioxidant group, 26.7%; Tranilast group, 20.6%). At follow-up, minimal luminal diameter (MLD) was not different significantly between three groups (control group, 1.8 +/- 1.07 mm; antioxidant group, 2.1 +/- 1.18 mm; Tranilast group, 2.1 +/- 0.94 mm). Target lesion revascularization was lower in Tranilast group (3.4%) as compared with control group (25.6%) and antioxidant group (16%, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Neither probucol combined with vitamin C and E nor tranilast did not improve significantly the angiographic restenosis rate. But tranilast had reduced the target lesion revascularization rate as compared with control group and antioxidant group.