Comparison of Early and Six Month Outcomes of Direct Stenting vs. Conventional Stenting in Patients with Angina Pectoris

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Direct stenting (DS) has been shown to be safe and feasible, with demonstrable reductions in cost, procedural time and radiation exposure, and may also result in less vessel injury. The aim of this study was to compare the immediate and six month clinical and angiographic outcomes of direct stent (DS) with stent implantation implantation following balloon predilatation (conventional stenting, CS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between July 2001 and June 2004, 266 patients (293 lesions) with angina pectoris were included in this study. Patients having lesion characteristics with excessive calcification, left main lesion, chronic total occlusion, severe proximal tortuosity and a bifurcated lesion were excluded. Follow up angiography was performed about six months after the initial procedure. RESULTS: Direct (73 lesions) and conventional stenting (220 lesions) were performed respectively. In the DS group, the minimal luminal diameter was larger (0.36+/-0.18 vs. 0.31+/-0.19 mm, p=0.036) and diameter stenosis lower than in the CS group (89.1+/-5.1 vs. 90.6+/-3.9%, p=0.026). However, no difference was found in the reference vessel diameter between the two groups. From the immediate angiographic results, the CS group showed a longer stent length than the DS group (18.84+/-5.61 vs. 16.16+/-3.67 mm, p=0.000), but the DS group had a higher balloon inflation pressure than the CS group (12.25+/-1.71 vs. 11.35+/-1.72 atm, p=0.000). However, no difference was found in the post-stent minimal luminal diameter, acute gain and angiographic success rates. Follow up angiography was performed in 68.6% (201/293) of lesions. The angiographic restenosis rate was similar between the two groups (DS, 19.6 vs. CS, 19.3%, p=0.966), as were the other angiographic findings. The rates of in-hospital and 6 month follow up major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Direct stenting showed similar rates of angiographic restenosis as well as inhospital and 6 months MACE (death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, cerebrovascular accident) compared with conventional stenting.