Abstract

Background: We compared the degree of systemic inflammation and its relationship to the angiographic outcomes after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantations.

Methods: We implanted a single DES in 79 stable angina patients (50 men; 60.4±9.5 years of age; sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), n=38; paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES), n=41). The hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were determined before and at 24, 72 hours, and 4 weeks after the PCI. An angiography and IVUS were performed.

Results: The hs-CRP and IL-6 levels at baseline did not differ between the two groups. The hs-CRP increased significantly from baseline at 24 hr and 72 hr after the PCI in both groups and there was a significant increase in the IL-6 level at 24 hr after the PCI in both groups. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in any of the hs-CRP or IL-6 measurements. At follow up, the late lumen loss was significantly higher in the PES group than in the SES group (0.57±0.56 mm vs. 0.28±0.58 mm, respectively, p=0.020). The neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) volume in the PES group was significantly higher than that in the SES group (23.1±22.7 vs. 3.8±7.1 mm³, respectively, p=0.000). The percent luminal volume reduction was higher in the PES group than in the SES group (18.9 vs. 3.9 %, p=0.002). The absolute values or change in the inflammatory markers did not correlate with the NIH or stent volume reduction.

Conclusions: Our study showed that the benefits obtained from the SESs, which reduce neointimal proliferation, are not likely mediated by the attenuation of the systemic inflammatory markers, hs-CRP or IL-6.