Prognostic role of restenosis in 10 004 patients undergoing routine control angiography after coronary stenting

AIM: Routine control angiography is a valuable tool with high-sensitivity in detecting restenosis after coronary stenting. However, the prognostic role of restenosis is still controversial. We investigated the impact of restenosis on 4-year mortality in patients undergoing routine control angiography after coronary stenting. METHODS AND RESULTS: All the patients undergoing successful implantation of coronary stents for de novo lesions from 1998 to 2009 and routine control angiography after 6-8 months at two centres in Munich, Germany were studied. Restenosis was defined as diameter stenosis ≥50% in the in-segment area at follow-up angiography. The primary outcome was 4-year mortality. The study included 10 004 patients with 15 004 treated lesions. Restenosis was detected in 2643 (26.4%) patients. Overall, there were 702 deaths during the follow-up. Of these, 218 deaths occurred among patients with restenosis and 484 deaths occurred among patients without restenosis unadjusted hazard ratio: HR: 1.19; (95% confidence interval CI: 1.02-1.40); P = 0.03. The Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for other variables identified restenosis as an independent correlate of 4-year mortality HR: 1.23; (95% CI: 1.03-1.46); P = 0.02. Other independent correlates of 4-year mortality were age for each 10-year increase, HR: 2.34; (95% CI: 2.12-2.60); P < 0.001, diabetes mellitus HR: 1.68; (95% CI: 1.41-1.99); P < 0.001, current smoking habit HR: 1.39; (95% CI: 1.09-1.76); P = 0.01, and left ventricular ejection fraction for each 5% decrease, HR: 1.39; (95% CI: 1.31-1.48); P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of patients, the presence of restenosis at follow-up angiography after coronary stenting was predictive of 4-year mortality. Whether routine control angiography after coronary stenting is beneficial and influences outcomes should be evaluated by properly designed randomized trials.