Background: It remains controversial whether diabetes is associated with an increased risk of restenosis after intracoronary stenting.
Methods and results: We selected 42 diabetic patients and an equal number of nondiabetic patients with follow-up angiographic restudy after single-vessel stenting, matched for 4 important stent-related and angiographic variables (stent design, reference vessel size and expanded stent diameter, coronary vessel treated, and poststent residual diameter stenosis). The 2 patient groups did not differ in their baseline lesion severity and acute luminal gain. At 5-month angiographic assessment, the observed in-stent restenosis rate was significantly higher in diabetic than nondiabetic patients (40.5% vs 16.7%, P = 0.0157). It was highest in diabetic patients who received small stents <3.0 mm in diameter and intermediate in diabetic patients who received larger stent sizes (55% vs 27%, P = 0.0675). The frequency of restenosis in nondiabetic patients, however, was low; it was 18% and 15% in those who received small stents and larger stents, respectively (P = 0.7823).
Conclusions: Our data suggest that diabetes predisposes to an increased risk of in-stent restenosis, particularly in small vessels.