Impact of stent length and diameter on short term clinical outcomes of drug eluting stents in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Background and Objective: The risk of restenosis and other adverse cardiovascular events with bare-metal stents have increased with smaller stent diameters and longer stent lengths. However, the exact impact of stent size on the short-term outcomes of drug-eluting stent [DES] implantations has not been much classified in Pakistani population. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of size [length and diameter] of Drug Eluting Stents on Clinical outcomes in patient with stable coronary artery disease at three months of implantation in Pakistani Population

Methods: This is a prospective study which was carried out in the Department of Cardiology, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from April 2011 and July 2012. All consecutive patients with stable coronary disease undergoing Percutaneous Intervention [PCI] with DES implantation at Cardiology Unit Lady Reading Hospital, were included prospectively. Clinical outcomes [Myocardial infarction [Ml], unstable angina[UA], and positive ETT] at three months stratified by 3 tertiles of stent length and diameter each, were measured in patients who underwent PCI with DES for coronary artery lesions. All patients were followed and reassessed after three months from the index procedure. Exercise Tolerance Test [ETT] was performed on every patient and recorded on proforma. Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 16

Results: A total of 376 patients were included prospectively in this study

The mean age was 57+/-9.313 years. Male patients were 271[72.1%]. Mean length of drug eluting stent was 27.313+/-7.235 mm while mean diameter of stent was 2.90+/-0.2483mm. There were slightly higher rates of Ml, U.A and positive ETT in the longest stent length tertile [>28mm] compared with the shortest stent length tertile [<22mm] at three months, but they were statistically not significant. We also observed that for DES, there was no clear relationship between stent diameter and outcome for any of the clinical outcome variables

Conclusion: In our single-center prospective study, stent length and diameter defined in tertiles, had no impact on the short-term clinical outcomes of DES in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Effects of allium sativum extract [ASE] on blood lipoproteins and blood indices in wistar albino rat model

Objective: To study the effects of Allium sativum extract [ASE] on blood lipoproteins and blood indices in Wistar albino rat model

Study design: Experimental study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Animal House, Isra University Hyderabad from September 2014 to June 2015

Materials and Methods: 80 albino rats were divided into 4 groups; Group 1- Controls [Placebo 0.9% isotonic saline], Group 2- ASE 100 mg/kg, Group 3- ASE 200 mg/kg and Group 4- ASE 300 mg/kg were given orally for 30 days. Blood sample was collected by cardiac puncture. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS 22.0 by one way ANOVA and post Hoc Duncan test at 95% confidence interval

Results: Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDLc and HDLc showed statistically significant differences among groups [p =0.0001]. High dose fed ASE showed significant reductions in TAG, TC and LDLc and a rise in HDLc. Also the blood indices showed improvement in ASE treated rats [p=0.001]

Conclusion: The Allium sativum extract reduces triglycerides, total cholesterol and low density lipoproteins and increases high density lipoprotein [HDLc]. Blood indices were also improved in high dose rats