Drug-eluting stents (DES) significantly reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary revascularisation, but an increased risk of late stent thrombosis (LST) has been put forward as a major safety concern. Meta-analysis of clinical trials, however, does not support this caveat. Even so, many interventional cardiologists think that LST is associated with DES and related to delayed endothelialisation. This hypothesis is based on autopsy studies and clinical intracoronary angioscopy. In autopsy studies, differences between endothelialisation of DES and baremetal stents (BMS) have been reported. Most preclinical studies, however, have failed to show any significant differences in endothelialisation between DES and BMS. Our own studies, using the porcine coronary artery model, also suggest that DES show no differences in re-endothelialisation. However, DES do delay vascular healing and induce endothelial dysfunction. This paper will review clinical and animal studies which consider re-endothelialisation and LST. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:177-81.)Keywords: drug-eluting stents, stent thrombosis, endothelium, endothelial function P olymer-based sirolimus (SES) and paclitaxel (PES) eluting coronary stents have reduced rates of restenosis and late lumen loss compared with bare-metal stents (BMS), resulting in a significant reduction in the need for target vessel revascularisation. 1,2 Delayed healing and more specifically delayed re-endothelialisation after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation have been suggested as the cause of late stent thrombosis (LST, defined as thrombosis ≥30 days after stent deployment). 3 This concept is based on clinical autopsy studies and clinical intracoronary angioscopy studies. 4,5 However we feel this concept is still open to debate. Our hypothesis is that delayed re-endothelialisation alone is not adequate to explain LST. The pathogenesis of LST is still not completely understood, and may be affected by a combination of factors. The present review discusses possible pathophysiological mechanisms of stent thrombosis in DES.
DES induced late stent thrombosis, clinical studiesRecent reports from randomised trials suggest that some DES may be associated with increased rates of LST as compared with BMS. Stone et al. reported that both SES and PES were associated with a significant increase in the incidence of LST between one and four years after implantation (0.6 and 0.7%), as compared with BMS (0.2%). 6 Stettler and colleagues suggested that there is no evidence of an overall increase in definite stent thrombosis associated with SES between one and four years (0.3 vs. 0.2% in BMS). 7 However, the risk of LST seemed to be increased with PES (0.6%) with a significantly increased hazard ratio (2.1, p=0.017 vs. BMS between day 0 and 4 years). Garg and colleagues reported a small increase in DES thrombosis compared with BMS after one year (>0.14%/year). 8 This rate is, however, considerably lower than that reported by Daemen and Wenaweser and colleagues, who found that LST occurs in both D...