The role of drug-eluting balloons alone or in combination with drug-eluting stents in the treatment of de novo diffuse coronary disease

JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2013 Nov;6(11):1153-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcin.2013.07.005.

Abstract

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the role of drug-eluting balloons (DEB) alone or in combination with drug-eluting stents (DES) in the treatment of diffuse de novo coronary artery disease (CAD) (>25 mm).

Background: The use of DEB in diffuse CAD, either alone or in combination with DES, offers an alternative to stenting alone. Data regarding DEB in this context are limited.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients treated with DEB for diffuse CAD between June 2009 and October 2012. Endpoints analyzed were major adverse cardiac events, defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization (TVR), as well as TVR and target lesion revascularization separately. Results were compared with those obtained from a cohort of patients with similar characteristics treated with DES alone.

Results: A total of 69 patients (93 lesions) were treated with DEB ± DES, and 93 patients with DES alone (93 lesions). A high proportion of patients were diabetic (46.4% vs. 44.1%, p = 0.77). Of the DEB-treated lesions, 56.0% were treated with DEB alone, 7.4% with DEB and DES as bail out, and 36.6% with DES and DEB as part of a hybrid approach for very long disease. Outcome rates with DEB ± DES were comparable to those with DES alone at 2-year follow-up (major adverse cardiac events = 20.8% vs. 22.7%, p = 0.74; TVR = 14.8% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.44; target lesion revascularization = 9.6% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.84).

Conclusions: DEB may have a role in the treatment of diffuse de novo CAD, either alone in smaller vessels or in combination with DES in very long disease.

Keywords: CABG; DAPT; DEB; DES; EES; MACE; MI; PCI; ST; TLR; TVR; coronary artery bypass graft; diffuse coronary artery disease; drug-eluting balloon; drug-eluting stent(s); drug-eluting balloon(s); dual antiplatelet therapy; everolimus-eluting stent(s); major adverse cardiac event(s); myocardial infarction; percutaneous coronary intervention; stent thrombosis; target lesion revascularization; target vessel revascularization.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / adverse effects
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / instrumentation*
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / mortality
  • Cardiac Catheters*
  • Cardiovascular Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible*
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Artery Disease / diagnosis
  • Coronary Artery Disease / mortality
  • Coronary Artery Disease / therapy*
  • Coronary Restenosis / etiology
  • Drug-Eluting Stents*
  • Female
  • Hospitals, High-Volume
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible