Background: Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated equivalent safety to bare-metal stents after drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation. However, the DES thrombosis in randomized trials could not be comparable to those observed in clinical practice, frequently including off-label indications. This study sought to assess the incidence of DES thrombosis after implantation of DES in patients with real world coronary artery disease (CAD) in China.
Methods: From December 2001 to April 2007, 8190 consecutive patients received the treatment with DES, 5412 patients completed one year follow-up: 2210 with sirolimus-eluting stent Cypher, 1238 with paclitaxel-eluting stent Taxus and 1964 with Chinese sirolimus-eluting stent Firebird. After two years of follow-up, there were 2176 patients (1245 Cypher, 558 Taxus and 373 Firebird). All patients were treated with aspirin and clopidogrel over at least 9 months.
Results: Among 8190 patients, 17 patients had acute stent thrombosis (0.24%): 7 in the Cypher group, 4 Taxus and 6 Firebird; 23 patients had subacute stent thrombosis: 8 Cypher, 6 Taxus and 9 Firebird. The incidence of acute and subacute thrombosis was 0.49%: 0.50% Cypher, 0.63% Taxus and 0.41% Firebird. The incidence of late thrombosis at one year followup was 0.63%: 0.63% Cypher, 0.88% Taxus and 0.46% Firebird; at two year follow-up the incidence was 0.74%: 0.72% Cypher, 0.90% Taxus and 0.54% Firebird. There was no significant difference among three groups at 1 year and 2 years follow-up.
Conclusion: The first generation DES in the treatment of complex lesions are safe and effective if patients are aggressively treated with dual antiplatelet agents.