Long-term (5-year) clinical evaluation of the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting coronary stent: The RESOLUTE US clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term safety and efficacy of the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES). BACKGROUND: The R-ZES has been associated with low rates of adverse events over short-intermediate term follow-up. However, reliable assessment of the safety and efficacy of any implanted device requires long-term evaluation. METHODS: The RESOLUTE US trial was a prospective, observational study conducted at 116 U.S. sites and enrolled patients with de novo coronary lesions. Patients were followed clinically for 5 years with independent event adjudication and data monitoring. RESULTS: A total of 1,402 patients (1,573 lesions) were enrolled; 34% had diabetes mellitus and 75% had ACC type B2/C lesions. The 5-year rate of target lesion failure (TLF) was 12.3%, target lesion revascularization was 6.5%, target vessel myocardial infarction was 3.2%, and cardiac death was 4.1%. Dual antiplatelet therapy usage was 94% at 1 year and 47% at 5 years, with a 0.1% and 0.5% respective incidence of definite or probable stent thrombosis. The 5-year rate of TLF was 16.9% among patients with diabetes mellitus and 14.7% in patients with at least one small (≤2.5 mm) vessel treated. Covariates independently associated with 5-year TLF in multivariable analysis included diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 1.89, p < .001), prior coronary artery bypass grafting (OR 2.28, p < .001), prior myocardial infarction (OR 1.85, p = .002), and smaller reference vessel diameter (OR 1.75, p = .004). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the fully adjudicated and monitored RESOLUTE US trial demonstrate long-term 5-year safety and efficacy of the R-ZES stent among a relatively low-risk population of patients, including a 0.5% rate of stent thrombosis at 5 years.

The CLOSER trial: a multi-center study on the clinical safety and effectiveness of CloserTM VSS, a novel resorbable transfemoral vascular access sealing system.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Closer Vascular Sealing System (VSS) against prespecified performance goals (PGs) in sealing femoral arterial access following 5-7 Fr procedures. BACKGROUND: Inconsistent safety profiles, costs and learning curves of earlier generation vascular closure devices have limited their widespread use following transfemoral procedures. METHODS: In this prospective single-arm, multi-center trial, we compared the clinical outcomes in patients undergoing 5-7 Fr transfemoral diagnostic or interventional procedures and access sites managed with Closer VSS against pre-specified PGs. The primary endpoints were time to hemostasis (TTH) and 30-day access site closure-related major complications; secondary endpoints included time to ambulation (TTA), time to discharge eligibility (TTDE), time to discharge (TTD), 30-day access site minor complications, procedure and device success. RESULTS: A total of 220 subjects (49.5% interventional) were enrolled. The mean TTH was 1.78 ± 7.81 min in the intention to treat and 0.98 ± 3.71 min in the per protocol cohort. Median TTH was 0 min with immediate hemostasis achieved in 80.5% of subjects, mean TTA was 2.50 ± 1.05 hr, and mean TTDE was 2.83 ± 1.54 hr. Thirty-day follow-up was completed on 219 subjects. There were no access site closure-related major complications, minor complication rate was 0.0% for diagnostic and 2.75% for interventional procedures. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing 5-7 Fr transfemoral diagnostic and interventional procedures, the CLOSER Trial met both its primary effectiveness and safety PGs. Immediate hemostasis was achieved in the majority of patients without major complication.

A provisional strategy for treating true bifurcation lesions employing a scoring balloon for the side branch: final results of the AGILITY trial.

BACKGROUND: The provisional approach for bifurcation stenting with side-branch balloon angioplasty is associated with dissections and suboptimal results requiring kissing balloon techniques or bailout stenting. We hypothesized that using a scoring balloon for the side branch and a drug-eluting stent for the main vessel might improve outcomes of true bifurcation lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 93 patients with complex bifurcations were enrolled in a multicenter, single-arm, prospective clinical trial. A drug-eluting stent was deployed in the main vessel following dilatation of the side-branch stenosis with a scoring balloon. The overall angiographic success rate was 93.5%, and procedural success rate was 91.4%. The final diameter stenosis was 13.9% ± 7.2% for the main vessel and 33.3% ± 22.9% for the side branch. Crossover to stent deployment in the side branch was required in 10.8%. The postscoring balloon dissection rate was 8.2% and 6% (all ≤ class C) for the main vessel and side branch respectively, which was reduced to 1.1 and 2.1% poststenting. At 9-month follow-up, the composite MACE rate [cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization (TLR)] was 5.4%, including a TLR rate of 3.3% (1.1% from hospital discharge to 9 months). CONCLUSION: The 9-month results of the AGILITY trial support a simple provisional strategy for treating complex true bifurcation lesions with deployment of a drug-eluting stent in the main vessel after dilatation of the side-branch vessel with a scoring balloon. This strategy was associated with excellent and safe procedural results, a low rate of crossover to side-branch stenting, and favorable outcomes.

A randomized, controlled, multi-center trial comparing the safety and efficacy of zotarolimus-eluting and paclitaxel-eluting stents in de novo lesions in coronary arteries: final results of the ZoMaxx II trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this prospective, randomized, single-blind controlled clinical trial was to compare the effectiveness of a zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZoMaxx™) with a paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent (Taxus™ Express(2)™) in patients with angina pectoris and a single native coronary artery lesion between 10-28 mm in length and 2.5-3.75mm in diameter. METHODS: Patients were enrolled at 75 international institutions between June 2005 and November 2006. RESULTS: 1099 (1672 originally planned) patients received 557 ZoMaxx and 542 Taxus stents: cohorts were well-matched for diabetes (27% vs. 27%), reference vessel diameter (2.73 ± 0.46mm vs. 2.74 ± 0.45mm) and lesion length (14.8 ± 6.7mm vs. 14.3 ± 6.4mm). Nine month clinical and angiographic follow-up was available in 1052/1099 (96%) and 649/836 (78%) patients, respectively. The safety profiles for the two stents (myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death and/or target vessel revascularization (TVR)) were similar (ZoMaxx 8.7% vs. Taxus 6.9%, p=NS). The primary endpoint of 9-month TVR occurred more frequently after treatment with ZoMaxx (6.8%) as compared with Taxus (4.2%), therefore the primary clinical endpoint was not met. However, the 9-month in-segment late lumen loss for ZoMaxx (0.29 ± 0.47mm) and Taxus (0.22 ± 0.41mm, p=NS) were similar, thus satisfying the primary angiographic endpoint. Secondary endpoints of the rates of in-segment and in-stent binary restenosis were also similar (5.9% vs. 5.8%, 7.8% vs. 7.9%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: At 9months, the ZoMaxx stent failed to achieve the primary endpoint of non-inferiority in TVR to the Taxus stent, but safety endpoints were equal between the two stent systems.

Long-term benefit of the TAXUS Liberté stent in small vessels and long lesions. TAXUS ATLAS program.

BACKGROUND: The long-term impact of treating de novo coronary lesions in native vessels and challenging small vessel and long lesion subsets with TAXUS Liberté stents is unknown. This report examines the 3-year efficacy and safety from the TAXUS ATLAS program. METHODS AND RESULTS: TAXUS ATLAS WH, Small Vessel, and Long Lesion are non-randomized studies comparing TAXUS Liberté (n = 871), TAXUS Liberté 2.25 mm (n = 261), and TAXUS Liberté 38 mm (n = 150) stents, respectively, to case-matched TAXUS Express historical controls. TAXUS Liberté demonstrated comparable 3-year rates of major adverse cardiac events (19.0% vs. 20.2%, P = 0.51) in de novo lesions, reduced target lesion revascularization (TLR, 10.0% vs. 22.1%, P = 0.008) in small vessels, and reduced myocardial infarction (MI, 2.9% vs. 10.4%; P = 0.01) and stent thrombosis (ST, 0.0% vs. 3.9%, P = 0.03) in long lesions vs. TAXUS Express. After propensity score adjustment, no statistically significant effect of TAXUS Liberté on TLR (9.7% vs. 16.9%, P = 0.12) in small vessels or MI (2.9% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.05) in long lesions was noted, although reduced ST (0.0% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.02) remained in long lesions. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that TAXUS Liberté treatment significantly reduced TLR by 66% in small vessels, and MI by 75% in long lesions, vs. TAXUS Express. CONCLUSIONS: TAXUS Liberté suggests durable 3-year effectiveness in reducing restenosis and improved clinical outcomes in small vessels and long lesions compared with TAXUS Express.

5-year follow-up of polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents compared with bare-metal stents in aortocoronary saphenous vein grafts the randomized BARRICADE (barrier approach to restenosis: restrict intima to curtail adverse events) trial.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the utility of the JOSTENT polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) stent-graft (Jomed GmbH, Rangendingen, Germany) in patients with diseased saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Prior trials of the JOSTENT stent-graft did not mandate high-pressure implantation or prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy, and were limited by short-term follow-up. METHODS: A total of 243 patients at 47 centers with 1 to 2 discrete lesions in SVGs were prospectively randomized to JOSTENT implantation (≥18 atm.) versus bare-metal stents (BMS). The JOSTENT patients were treated with aspirin indefinitely and clopidogrel for ≥8 months. Routine angiographic follow-up was performed at 8 months, and all patients were followed for 5 years. RESULTS: The primary end point of in-lesion binary restenosis occurred in 31.8% of lesions treated with the JOSTENT versus 28.4% of lesions treated with BMS (relative risk: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72 to 1.75, p = 0.63). At 9 months, the major secondary end point of target vessel failure (death, myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularization) occurred in 32.2% of patients treated with the JOSTENT versus 22.1% of patients treated with BMS (hazard ratio: 1.54, 95% CI: 0.94 to 2.53, p = 0.08). During long-term follow-up, significantly more events accrued in the JOSTENT arm such that by 5 years target vessel failure had occurred in 68.3% of JOSTENT patients versus 51.8% of BMS patients (hazard ratio: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.23, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term prognosis for diseased SVGs requiring PCI is dismal. The JOSTENT PTFE stent-graft results in inferior outcomes compared with BMS, despite high-pressure implantation and prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy, a finding that becomes more evident with longer-term follow-up.

Comparison of vascular response to zotarolimus-eluting stent vs paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation: pooled IVUS results from the ZoMaxx I and II trials.

BACKGROUND: The ZoMaxx I and II trials were randomized controlled studies of the zotarolimus-eluting, phosphorylcholine-coated, TriMaxx stent for the treatment of de novo coronary lesions. The aim of this study was to compare the vessel response between zotarolimus- (ZES) and paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were obtained from the ZoMaxx I and II trials, in which a standard IVUS parameter was available in 263 cases (baseline and 9-months follow up). Neointima-free frame ratio was calculated as the number of frames without IVUS-detectable neointima divided by the total number of frames within the stent. While an increase in vessel and plaque was observed in PES from baseline to follow up, there was no significant change in ZES. At follow up, % neointimal obstruction was significantly higher (15.4 ± 8.8% vs 11.3 ± 9.7%), and minimum lumen area at follow up was significantly smaller in ZES compared to PES. However, the incidence of IVUS-defined restenosis (maximum cross-sectional narrowing >60%) was similar in the 2 groups (3.2% vs 6.7%). Neointima-free frame ratio was significantly lower in ZES. There were 5 cases of late incomplete stent apposition in PES and none in ZES. CONCLUSIONS: These IVUS results demonstrate a similar incidence of severe narrowing between these 2 DES. There was a moderate increase in neointimal hyperplasia that was associated with a greater extent of neointimal coverage in ZES compared with PES.

Safety and efficacy of renal artery stenting following suboptimal renal angioplasty for de novo and restenotic ostial lesions: results from a nonrandomized, prospective multicenter registry.

PURPOSE: This registry was designed to evaluate the Bridge Extra Support renal stent system (Medtronic, Santa Rosa, California) in the treatment of renal artery ostial lesions following suboptimal percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This consecutive, nonrandomized, prospective, multicenter registry enrolled 188 patients between April 1999 and May 2002 with single de novo or restenotic renal artery ostial lesions (>or=70% stenosis) who underwent implantation of a balloon-expandable stent immediately following unsuccessful PTRA. Primary safety endpoints were major adverse clinical events (MACE) at 30 days and 9-12 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was absence of binary restenosis at 9-12 months with duplex ultrasonography (US). Secondary endpoints were acute success and quality-of-life (QOL) improvements (blood pressure, antihypertensive medications, renal function). The long-term effect of renal artery stenting on blood pressure and renal function was assessed to 36 months. RESULTS: The acute procedure and clinical success rates were 92.9%. At 30 days, the MACE rate was 3.2%, with no instances of target lesion revascularization (TLR). At 9-12 months, the MACE rate was 16.5%, with five (2.7%) deaths and 14 (7.4%) instances of TLR. The rate of restenosis at 9-12 months with duplex US was 12.6%, and 94% of patients had QOL improvements. A significant reduction in systolic blood pressure occurred following renal artery stenting and persisted to 36 months. CONCLUSIONS: Renal artery stenting is safe and efficacious in the treatment of single de novo and restenotic renal artery ostial lesions following suboptimal PTRA.

A randomized comparison of the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent versus the TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stent in de novo native coronary lesions 12-month outcomes from the ENDEAVOR IV trial.

OBJECTIVES: The ENDEAVOR IV (Randomized Comparison of Zotarolimus-Eluting and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease) trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of the zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) compared with the paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES). BACKGROUND: First-generation drug-eluting stents have reduced angiographic and clinical restenosis, but long-term safety remains controversial. A second-generation drug-eluting stent, which delivers zotarolimus, a potent antiproliferative agent, via a biocompatible phosphorylcholine polymer on a cobalt alloy thin-strut stent has shown promising experimental and early clinical results. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized (1:1), single-blind, controlled trial comparing outcomes of patients with single de novo coronary lesions treated with ZES or PES. The primary end point was noninferiority of 9-month target vessel failure defined as cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: Among a total of 1,548 patients assigned to ZES (n = 773) or PES (n = 775), at 9 months, ZES was noninferior to PES with rates of target vessel failure 6.6% versus 7.1%, respectively (p(noninferiority) < or = 0.001). There were fewer periprocedural myocardial infarctions with ZES (0.5% vs. 2.2%; p = 0.007), whereas at 12 months, there were no significant differences between groups in rates of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, or stent thrombosis. Although incidence of 8-month binary angiographic in-segment restenosis was higher in patients treated with ZES versus PES (15.3% vs. 10.4%; p = 0.284), rates of 12-month target lesion revascularization were similar (4.5% vs. 3.2%; p = 0.228), especially in patients without planned angiographic follow-up (3.6% vs. 3.2%; p = 0.756). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that ZES has similar clinical safety and efficacy compared with PES in simple and medium complexity single de novo coronary lesions. (ENDEAVOR IV Clinical Trial; NCT00217269).

Frequency and clinical consequences associated with sidebranch occlusion during stent implantation using zotarolimus-eluting and paclitaxel-eluting coronary stents.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) after drug-eluting stent placement has been associated with an unfavorable late prognosis. Although the etiology of periprocedural MI is multifactorial, sidebranch occlusion may be an important contributing factor. We sought to identify the incidence of sidebranch occlusion during zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) placement and to relate sidebranch occlusion to the occurrence of periprocedural MI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Angiograms were reviewed from patients randomly assigned to treatment with a ZES (597 patients; 943 sidebranches) or a PES (619 patients; 977 sidebranches). Sidebranch occlusion was defined as Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 0 or 1. Sidebranch occlusion was correlated with frequency of MI, as assessed by the creatine phosphokinase MB isoenzyme. Sidebranch occlusion occurred less often after the first stent deployment in patients treated with ZES (2.2%) than in patients treated with PES (4.0%; P=0.032). A similar reduction in the frequency of sidebranch occlusion at any point during the procedure was found in patients treated with ZES (2.9% versus 4.8% in PES patients; P=0.042). Multivariable predictors of sidebranch occlusion included baseline sidebranch stenosis, complex lesion morphology, smaller baseline minimal lumen diameters, and the use of a PES. Of the 20 patients with MI within 30 days of the procedure, 30% had evidence of sidebranch occlusion during the stent procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with ZES were less likely to develop sidebranch occlusion during stent placement than patients treated with PES. Less frequent sidebranch occlusion with ZES may have contributed to the lower frequency rates of periprocedural MI in this study.

Clinical and angiographic outcomes in diabetics from the ENDEAVOR IV trial: randomized comparison of zotarolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine outcomes related to the use of the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) (Medtronic CardioVascular, Santa Rosa, California) compared with the TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) (Boston Scientific Corp., Natick, Massachusetts) in the 477 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) enrolled in the randomized ENDEAVOR IV (Randomized Comparison of Zotarolimus- and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease) trial. BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetic patients is associated with increased rates of restenosis-related end points compared with PCI in nondiabetic patients. Although ZES has been associated with similar clinical efficacy compared with PES in the overall trial population of the ENDEAVOR IV trial, whether these results are maintained in the higher-risk restenosis subgroup of patients with DM has not been determined. METHODS: Clinical and angiographic outcomes were compared according to randomized treatment assignment to either ZES or PES. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar among ZES (n = 241) and PES (n = 236) diabetic patients, with slightly longer lesion lengths in PES-treated patients (12.9 mm vs. 14.0 mm, p = 0.041). Among the 86 DM patients assigned to routine angiographic follow-up (18% of the overall DM cohort), in-stent percent diameter stenosis at 8 months was greater among ZES-treated patients (32.9 vs. 21.1, p = 0.023), with a trend toward higher in-stent late loss. One-year clinical outcomes were similar among DM patients treated with either ZES or PES (target vessel failure: 8.6% vs. 10.8%, p = 0.53; target lesion revascularization: 6.9% vs. 5.8%, p = 0.70; target vessel revascularization: 8.6% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.87). There were no significant interactions between DM status and stent type with respect to the outcomes measured, and the relative efficacy/safety of ZES and PES were similar among insulin- and noninsulin-requiring subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: One-year clinical outcomes were similar among DM patients treated with ZES and PES in the ENDEAVOR IV trial. These findings parallel the overall trial results, which demonstrated similar efficacy and safety of ZES and PES for single de novo coronary lesions.

TAXUS Liberté attenuates the risk of restenosis in patients with medically treated diabetes mellitus: results from the TAXUS ATLAS program.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the relative efficacy and safety of the second-generation TAXUS Liberté paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in patients with and without diabetes mellitus. BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients suffer from accelerated atherosclerosis and increased risk of restenosis after coronary interventions; however, prior data suggest that PES might blunt this effect, providing equal benefit in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. METHODS: A pooled analysis of all 4 TAXUS ATLAS studies was conducted that included 413 diabetic and 1,116 nondiabetic subjects treated with the TAXUS Liberté stent for de novo coronary lesions. Angiographic and intravascular ultrasound outcomes at 9 months and clinical outcomes at 9 and 12 months were compared in patients with and without diabetes. Propensity score and multivariate adjustments were performed to correct for baseline differences. RESULTS: In-stent angiographic restenosis (13.0% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.12), late luminal loss (0.40 mm vs. 0.38 mm, p = 0.58), and intimal hyperplasia (14.8% vs. 13.4%, p = 0.29) were similar for diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. After propensity adjustment, 12-month target lesion revascularization rates were similar for diabetic and nondiabetic subjects (6.4% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.18), with no differences in mortality, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis. However, the rate of target vessel revascularization (TVR) was higher for diabetic subjects due to increased TVR outside the target lesion (TVR Remote). CONCLUSIONS: Similar clinical, angiographic, and intravascular ultrasound outcomes were observed for both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects treated with TAXUS Liberté, suggesting that this PES attenuates the effect of diabetes on restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention, yielding comparable efficacy and safety in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. (TAXUS ATLAS; NCT00371709, NCT00371423, NCT00371748, and NCT00371475).

Late safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of a zotarolimus-eluting stent compared with a paclitaxel-eluting stent in patients with de novo coronary lesions: 2-year follow-up from the ENDEAVOR IV trial (Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Medtronic Endeavor Drug [ABT-578] Eluting Coronary Stent System Versus the Taxus Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System in De Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess, after 2 years of follow-up, the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of a zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) compared with a paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in patients with native coronary lesions. BACKGROUND: Early drug-eluting stents were associated with a small but significant incidence of very late stent thrombosis (VLST), occurring >1 year after the index procedure. The ZES has shown encouraging results in clinical trials. METHODS: The ENDEAVOR IV trial (Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Medtronic Endeavor Drug [ABT-578] Eluting Coronary Stent System Versus the Taxus Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System in De Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions), a randomized (1:1), single-blind, controlled trial (n = 1,548) compared ZES versus PES in patients with single de novo coronary lesions. Two-year follow-up was obtained in 96.0% of ZES and 95.4% of PES patients. The primary end point was target vessel failure (TVF), and safety end points included Academic Research Consortium-defined stent thrombosis. Economic end points analyzed included quality-adjusted survival, medical costs, and relative cost-effectiveness of ZES and PES. RESULTS: The TVF at 2 years was similar in ZES and PES patients (11.1% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.232). There were fewer myocardial infarctions (MIs) in ZES patients (p = 0.022), due to fewer periprocedural non-Q-wave MIs and fewer late MIs between 1 and 2 years. Late MIs were associated with increased VLST (PES: 6 vs. ZES: 1; p = 0.069). Target lesion revascularization was similar comparing ZES with PES (5.9% vs. 4.6%; p = 0.295), especially in patients without planned angiographic follow-up (5.2% vs. 4.9%; p = 0.896). The cost-effectiveness of ZES and PES was similar. CONCLUSIONS: After 2 years of follow-up, ZES demonstrated efficacy and cost-effectiveness comparable to PES, with fewer MIs and a trend toward less VLST. (The ENDEAVOR IV Clinical Trial: A Trial of a Coronary Stent System in Coronary Artery Lesions; NCT00217269).

Long-term safety and efficacy with paclitaxel-eluting stents: 5-year final results of the TAXUS IV clinical trial (TAXUS IV-SR: Treatment of De Novo Coronary Disease Using a Single Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent).

OBJECTIVES: The pivotal TAXUS IV (TAXUS IV-SR: Treatment of De Novo Coronary Disease Using a Single Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent) trial evaluated the long-term safety and effectiveness of the paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) compared with an otherwise identical bare-metal stent (BMS) in a relatively uncomplicated population of patients with a single de novo lesion in a native coronary vessel, treated between March and July 2002. BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up is required to determine whether the early safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents are maintained. METHODS: The primary end point of this prospective, randomized, double-blind trial was 9-month ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization (TVR) for PES versus the BMS control. Follow-up was complete in 1,230 (95.1%) of 1,294 randomized evaluable patients at 5 years. RESULTS: Compared with BMS, PES significantly reduced TVR at 9 months (12.1% vs. 4.7%; p < 0.0001); this benefit was maintained through 5 years (27.4% vs. 16.9%; p < 0.0001), given comparable TVR rates for BMS and PES between years 1 and 5 (4.1%/year vs. 3.3%/year; respectively, p = 0.16). Similar patterns were observed for composite major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (32.8% BMS vs. 24.0% PES, p = 0.0001 at 5 years). Stent thrombosis was comparable for PES and BMS at 9 months (0.8% BMS vs. 0.8% PES; p = 0.98) and at 5 years (2.1% BMS vs. 2.2% PES, p = 0.87). The overall revascularization benefits of PES were consistent across multiple subgroups, including sex, diabetes, left anterior descending artery lesion location, reference vessel diameter, lesion length, and multiple stents. CONCLUSIONS: These 5-year results demonstrate the long-term safety and sustained efficacy of PES compared with BMS in patients with noncomplex lesions. (TAXUS IV-SR: Treatment of De Novo Coronary Disease Using a Single Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent; NCT00292474).

Two-year clinical outcomes after paclitaxel-eluting stent or brachytherapy treatment for bare metal stent restenosis: the TAXUS V ISR trial.

AIMS: This study sought to investigate the 2-year outcomes of patients treated with the paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS((R)) stent (PES) or vascular brachytherapy (VBT), the previous 'gold standard therapy', for bare metal stent in-stent restenosis (ISR). METHODS AND RESULTS: In the TAXUS V-ISR trial, 396 patients with bare metal stent ISR referred for percutaneous coronary intervention were prospectively randomized to either PES or beta source VBT. The present analysis reports 24-month clinical outcomes from that study. Between 9 and 24 months, ischaemia-driven target lesion revascularization tended to be required less frequently with assignment to PES compared to VBT (5.3 vs. 10.3%, P = .07). As a result, ischaemia-driven target lesion revascularization at 24 months was significantly reduced with PES compared with VBT (10.1 vs. 21.6%, P = 0.003), as was ischaemia-driven target vessel revascularization (18.1 vs. 27.5%, P = .03). There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel thrombosis either between 12 and 24 months, or cumulative to 24 months. CONCLUSION: Freedom from clinical restenosis at 2 years is significantly enhanced after PES placement compared with VBT for bare metal stent ISR, with similar rates of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel thrombosis.

A novel bioresorbable polymer paclitaxel-eluting stent for the treatment of single and multivessel coronary disease: primary results of the COSTAR (Cobalt Chromium Stent With Antiproliferative for Restenosis) II study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to compare safety and effectiveness of the CoStar drug-eluting stent (DES) (Conor MedSystems, Menlo Park, California) with those of the Taxus DES (Boston Scientific, Maple Grove, Minnesota) in de novo single- and multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel elution from a stent coated with biostable polymer (Taxus) reduces restenosis after PCI. The CoStar DES is a novel stent with laser-cut reservoirs containing bioresorbable polymer loaded to elute 10 microg paclitaxel/30 days. METHODS: Patients undergoing PCI for a single target lesion per vessel in up to 3 native epicardial vessels were randomly assigned 3:2 to CoStar or Taxus. Primary end point was 8-month major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as adjudicated death, myocardial infarction (MI), or clinically driven target vessel revascularization (TVR). Protocol-specified 9-month angiographic follow-up included 457 vessels in 286 patients. RESULTS: Of the 1,700 patients enrolled, 1,675 (98.5%) were evaluable (CoStar = 989; Taxus = 686), including 1,330 (79%) single-vessel and 345 (21%) multivessel PCI. The MACE rate at 8 months was 11.0% for CoStar versus 6.9% for Taxus (p < 0.005), including adjudicated death (0.5% vs. 0.7%, respectively), MI (3.4% vs. 2.4%, respectively), and TVR (8.1% vs. 4.3%, respectively). Per-vessel 9-month in-segment late loss was 0.49 mm with CoStar and 0.18 mm with Taxus (p < 0.0001). Findings were consistent across pre-specified subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The CoStar DES is not noninferior to the Taxus DES based on per-patient clinical and per-vessel angiographic analyses. The relative benefit of Taxus is primarily attributable to reduction in TVR. Follow-up to 9 months showed no apparent difference in death, MI, or stent thrombosis rates.

Reduced risk of restenosis in small vessels and reduced risk of myocardial infarction in long lesions with the new thin-strut TAXUS Liberté stent: 1-year results from the TAXUS ATLAS program.

OBJECTIVES: The TAXUS ATLAS Small Vessel (SV) and Long Lesion (LL) multicenter studies compared the performance of the thin-strut (0.0038 inch) TAXUS Liberté 2.25-mm stent (Boston Scientific; Natick, Massachusetts) and the TAXUS Liberté 38-mm long stent (Boston Scientific; Natick, Massachusetts) with the earlier paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS Express (Boston Scientific) stent that has identical polymer, drug dosage, and release kinetics but different stent geometry and thicker struts (0.0052 inch). BACKGROUND: The TAXUS Liberté stent was designed with thinner and more even strut spacing to provide more uniform drug distribution, as well as increased flexibility and conformability. Clinical benefits of the new stent design have not been evaluated. METHODS: The TAXUS ATLAS SV and LL studies are nonrandomized studies comparing outcomes of the TAXUS Liberté 2.25 mm (N = 261) and TAXUS Liberté 38 mm (N = 150) stents to TAXUS Express historical control groups derived from the TAXUS IV and V trials. Inclusion/exclusion criteria for TAXUS Express and Liberté groups were similar in both studies. RESULTS: Each study met its primary end point of noninferiority of 9-month in-segment diameter stenosis. Furthermore, TAXUS Liberté 2.25 mm, when compared with TAXUS Express, significantly reduced the rate of both 9-month angiographic restenosis (18.5% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.0219) and 12-month target lesion revascularization (6.1% vs. 16.9%, p = 0.0039). In addition, TAXUS Liberté 38 mm significantly reduced the risk of 12-month myocardial infarction compared with TAXUS Express (1.4% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.0246). CONCLUSIONS: The thinner-strut TAXUS Liberté stent improved outcomes compared with the earlier TAXUS Express stent in both SVs and LLs (A Study of the TAXUS Liberté Stent for the Treatment of de Novo Coronary Artery Lesions in Small Vessels; NCT00371748; A Study of the TAXUS Liberté Stent for the Treatment of Long De Novo Coronary Artery Lesions; NCT00371475).

Polymer-based, paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS Liberté stent in de novo lesions: the pivotal TAXUS ATLAS trial.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this research was to assess non-inferiority of the next-generation TAXUS Liberté stent (Boston Scientific Corp., Natick, Massachusetts) versus the TAXUS Express stent (Boston Scientific Corp.). BACKGROUND: The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) has shifted clinical practice towards more complex lesion subsets, prompting the need for more deliverable DES. TAXUS Liberté was designed to combine the established polymer-based, paclitaxel-elution TAXUS technology with the more advanced Liberté stent platform. METHODS: The TAXUS ATLAS study is a global, prospective, single-arm trial evaluating outcomes in de novo coronary lesions visually estimated to be 10 to 28 mm in length in vessels 2.5 to 4.0 mm in diameter. The control group is an entry-criteria-matched population of TAXUS Express patients from the TAXUS IV and V trials. The primary end point is non-inferiority of TAXUS Liberté versus TAXUS Express for 9-month target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: Despite similar inclusion criteria, quantitative coronary angiography-determined baseline lesion characteristics were significantly more complex for TAXUS Liberté than TAXUS Express. The primary non-inferiority end point was met with the 1-sided 95% confidence bound of 2.98% less than the pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 3% (p = 0.0487). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the treatment of more complex lesions with TAXUS Liberté, the primary end point was met, demonstrating that TAXUS Liberté is non-inferior to TAXUS Express. The successful transfer of the proven TAXUS technology to the more advanced TAXUS Liberté platform was demonstrated. (TAXUS ATLAS: TAXUS Liberté-SR Stent for the Treatment of De Novo Coronary Artery Lesions; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00371709?order=1; NCT00371709).

Comparison of zotarolimus-eluting and sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with native coronary artery disease: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This trial examined the relative clinical efficacy, angiographic outcomes, and safety of zotarolimus-eluting coronary stents (ZES) with a phosphorylcholine polymer versus sirolimus-eluting stents (SES). BACKGROUND: Whether a cobalt-based alloy stent coated with the novel antiproliferative agent, zotarolimus, and a phosphorylcholine polymer may provide similar angiographic and clinical benefit compared with SES is undetermined. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, 3:1 randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ZES (n = 323) relative to SES (n = 113) in 436 patients undergoing elective percutaneous revascularization of de novo native coronary lesions with reference vessel diameters between 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm and lesion length > or =14 mm and < or =27 mm. The primary end point was 8-month angiographic in-segment late lumen loss. RESULTS: Angiographic in-segment late lumen loss was significantly higher among patients treated with ZES compared with SES (0.34 +/- 0.44 mm vs. 0.13 +/- 0.32 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). In-hospital major adverse cardiac events were significantly lower among patients treated with ZES (0.6% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.04). In-segment binary angiographic restenosis was also higher in the ZES cohort (11.7% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.04). Total (clinically and non-clinically driven) target lesion revascularization rates at 9 months were 9.8% and 3.5% for the ZES and SES groups, respectively (p = 0.04). However, neither clinically driven target lesion revascularization (6.3% zotarolimus vs. 3.5% sirolimus, p = 0.34) nor target vessel failure (12.0% zotarolimus vs. 11.5% sirolimus, p = 1.0) differed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with SES, treatment with a phosphorylcholine polymer-based ZES is associated with significantly higher late lumen loss and binary restenosis at 8-month angiographic follow-up. (The Endeavor III CR; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00265668?order=1?).

Comparison of the efficacy of direct coronary stenting with sirolimus-eluting stents versus stenting with predilation by intravascular ultrasound imaging (from the DIRECT trial).

A direct coronary stenting technique using drug-eluting stents may decrease drug-eluting stent efficacy due to possible damage to the surface coating of the stent. The DIRECT is a multicenter, prospective, nonrandomized trial designed to evaluate the direct stenting strategy for the sirolimus-eluting Bx-Velocity stent compared with the historical control (SIRIUS trial, stenting with predilation). Volumetric and cross-sectional intravascular ultrasound analyses at 8-month follow-up were performed in 115 patients (DIRECT n= 64, control n = 51). Patient and lesion characteristics were comparable between groups. The DIRECT group achieved an equivalent uniform expansion index, defined as minimum stent area/maximum stent area x 100, compared with the control group (65.9 +/- 11.7 vs 63.1 +/- 12.7, p = NS). At 8-month follow-up, vessel, stent, lumen, and neointimal volume index (volume in cubic millimeters/length in millimeters) and percent neointimal volume were similar between the DIRECT and control groups (vessel volume index 13.9 +/- 4.40 vs 15.0 +/- 3.83; stent volume index 6.83 +/- 2.02 vs 6.94 +/- 2.04; lumen volume index 6.71 +/- 2.04 vs 6.81 +/- 2.07; neointimal volume index 0.14 +/- 0.24 vs 0.16 +/- 0.23; percent neointimal volume 3.73 +/- 6.97 vs 3.14 +/- 5.32, p = NS for all). In addition, in-stent neointimal hyperplasia distribution was significantly smaller near the distal stent edge (0.22 vs 0.098 mm(3)/mm, p = 0.01 for an average neointimal volume index within 3 mm from the distal stent edge). In conclusion, direct coronary stenting with the sirolimus-eluting Bx-Velocity stent is equally effective in terms of uniform stent expansion and long-term quantitative intravascular ultrasound results compared with conventional stenting using predilation. This strategy appears to be associated with less neointimal hyperplasia near the distal stent edge.