Patency of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Sites at 6-Month Angiographic Follow-Up

BACKGROUND: Several reports have demonstrated a high mortality rate in diabetic patients treated by standard coronary balloon angioplasty. No clear explanation has been provided for this finding. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive diabetic patients successfully treated by standard coronary balloon angioplasty (n=604) were enrolled in a follow-up program including repeated angiography at 6 months and long-term clinical follow-up. Clinical follow-up was available in 603 patients (99.8%). Twelve patients died, 2 underwent bypass surgery before scheduled repeated angiography, and 76 declined angiography. Determinants of long-term mortality were analyzed in the 513 patients with angiography at 6 months and long-term clinical follow-up (mean follow-up, 6.5+/-2.4 years). On the basis of the results of repeated angiography, 3 groups of patients were defined: group 1, 162 patients without restenosis (32%); group 2, 257 patients with nonocclusive restenosis (50%); and group 3, 94 patients with coronary occlusion (18%). Overall actuarial 10-year mortality rate was 36%. Actuarial 10-year mortality was 24% in group 1, 35% in group 2, and 59% in group 3 (P:<0.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that coronary occlusion was a strong and independent correlate of long-term total mortality (hazard ratio, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.43 to 3.26; P:=0.0003) and cardiac mortality (hazard ratio, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.48 to 3.85; P:=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that restenosis, especially in its occlusive form, is a major determinant of long-term mortality in diabetic patients after coronary balloon angioplasty.