The Long-Term Clinical Effects of Heparin-Coated Coronary Stent

Background and Objectives:A heparin-coated stent has been reported to be effective in the prevention of restenosis in a porcine model. The aim of this study was to compare the long term effects of heparin-coated and bare stents in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with regard to the clinical and angiographic outcomes. Subjects and Methods:Thirty patients who underwent PCI at Chonnam National University Hospital between July 1999 and December 2000 were randomly assigned into two groups;Group I had control bare stents (n=15, 15 lesions, 59±12 years, 13 males) and Group II heparin coated stents (n=15, 15 lesions, 59±11 years, 14 males). Six months following stenting, followup coronary angiograms were performed in 24 (80%) patients. The average follow-up period was 22±6 months. Results:The initial clinical and angiographic characteristics were no different between the two groups. The reference diameters (Group I;2.84±0.57 mm, II;3.34±0.57 mm), minimal luminal (Group I;2.37±0.60 mm, II;2.60±0.59 mm) and diameter stenosis (Group I;16.8±8.8%, II;22.6±8.6%) following stenting, were no different between the two groups. Subacute stent thrombosis was observed in 1 patient (6.7%)of Group I. On follow-up coronary angiograms, the reference (group I;2.46±0.34 mm, group II;2.70±0.43 mm), minimal luminal diameters (group I;1.47±0.59 mm, group II;1.64±0.80 mm)and diameter stenosis (group I;39.4±25.1%, group II;40.8±26.1%) diameters were also no different, and restenosis was observed in 3 (25%) patients of each group. One cardiac death and 3 target vessel revascularizations were observed in each group during follow-up. Conclusion:The heparin-coated coronary stents were not effective in the prevention of coronary stent restenosis. (Korean Circulation J 2002;32 (9):773-780)