Preprocedural Statin Administration can Reduce Thrombotic Reaction After Stent Implantation

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that stent deployment results in acute inflammation and platelet deposition as an acute phase reaction and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation as a chronic phase reaction. Other studies have shown that statin therapy can reduce thrombosis as a pleiotropic effect. The present study was undertaken to examine whether preprocedural statin therapy can reduce the thrombotic reaction after stent implantation by using in-stent restenosis (ISR) tissue. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group consisted of 45 consecutive patients (stable angina) with ISR who underwent directional coronary atherectomy (DCA). According to the histological findings, the patients were divided into 2 groups: those whose ISR tissue included thrombus and SMC (T group), and those whose ISR tissue included only SMC (S group). Just before DCA, serum markers were evaluated, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipoprotein (a), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), fibrinogen, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and hemoglobin A(1c). Preprocedural medications, including statins, were also evaluated. The values for hs-CRP and PAI-1 in the T group were significantly higher than those in the S group, and the rate of statin use in the T group was significantly lower than that in the S group. There were no significant differences in any of the other factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that preprocedural statin use and the PAI-1 level were significant independent variables affecting the histological findings. CONCLUSION: Preprocedural statins, associated with the involvement of PAI-1, can reduce the thrombotic reaction after stent implantation.