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Aims: Data regarding the impact on clinical outcomes of PCI with DES implantation vs. CABG to treat unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease in diabetic patients are still insufficient. The present study evaluated the short-term and long-term results of percutaneous and surgical revascularisation in diabetic patients with ULMCA disease in a large population. Methods and results: A total of 826 diabetic patients with ULMCA stenosis who received DES (n=520) or underwent CABG (n=306) were selected and analysed from the DELTA registry. In-hospital MACCE was significantly higher in the CABG group, mainly driven by a higher incidence of MI. At four-year follow-up, freedom from death and the composite endpoint of death, MI and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) was similar in the two treatment groups (CABG 87.4%, PCI 82.5%, p=0.124, and CABG 8

Aims: To demonstrate the acute and early outcomes of the novel Nile PAX dedicated polymer-free paclitaxel-coated stents (Minvasys SAS, Gennevilliers, France) in the treatment of de novo coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods and results: The Nile PAX device incorporates a cobalt-chromium alloy with a side aperture in the mid-stent designed to optimise scaffold at the bifurcation carina and side branch (SB) ostium, while maintaining SB access during procedure. From December 2008 to February 2010, 101 patients were prospectively enrolled in a non-randomised, multicentre study. Lesion criteria were: vessel size 2.5-3.5 mm in the parent vessel (PV) and 2.0-3.0 mm in the SB, and lesion length <14 mm in the PV, and <5 mm in the SB. Mean age was 63 years, 29% had diabetes, LAD/Dg was involved in 80.4%, and 61.7% had significant involvement of both branches. The study stent was successfully attempted and implanted in 98%. SB received additional stent in 26%; final kissing-balloon inflation was performed in 93%; and lesion (angiographic) success was achieved in 98%. There was only one non-Q myocardial infarction during hospitalisation, and no additional events up to 30 days. Conclusions: Preliminary results of the prospective, non-randomised, multicentre BIPAX clinical trial demonstrated encouraging results with the novel Nile PAX bifurcation DES in the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions, including high device and procedural success. Overall, there was only one major adverse cardiac event during hospitalisation, with no additional events up to 30 days follow-up. Long-term follow-up is warranted.

Aims: Assessment of health related quality-of-life (HRQL) has become increasingly important as not only the clinician's view of the technical success, but also the patient's perception is being measured. We evaluated the HRQL following sirolimus-eluting coronary stent (SES) (CYPHER®; Cordis, Johnson & Johnson, Warren, NJ, USA) implantation in patients with multivessel disease, comparing the outcomes with the historical surgical and bare metal stent (BMS) arms of the ARTS-I study. Methods and results: The HRQL outcomes were compared to the outcome of the historical cohorts of the randomised ARTS-I trial using the same inclusion and exclusion criteria. HRQL was evaluated at baseline, at one month and at 6, 12 and 36 months after revascularisation using the SF-36 in patients treated with SES (n=585), BMS (n=483) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (n=492). The HRQL compliance rates varied from 100% at baseline to 92% at 36 months. Both stenting and CABG resulted in significant improvement of HRQL and anginal status. There was a trend towards better HRQL after CABG than BMS beyond six months. Already from the first month up to three years, SES patients had, on average, 10% significantly better HRQL than BMS patients on the HRQL subscales physical functioning, role physical functioning, role emotional functioning and mental health (p<0.01) and a trend towards better HRQL in the other subscales. Up to 12 months, the HRQL was better after SES than CABG and was identical thereafter. At all time points, angina was more prevalent in the BMS group than in both the SES and CABG groups, in which the incidence of angina was similar. At three years, 10% of the SES patients suffered from angina, 13% of the CABG patients and 20% of the BMS patients. Conclusions: Both stenting and CABG resulted in a significant improvement in HRQL and angina. Along with a substantial reduction of restenosis, HRQL after SES was significantly improved as compared with BMS, and was similar to CABG.

Aims: The aim of the current study was to compare the short and mid-term outcome between males and females treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stent implantation or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and drug-eluting stent implantation in the Arterial Revascularisation Therapies Study I and II (ARTS I and II). Methods and Results: The patients included in ARTS I were randomised to PCI with bare metal stents or to CABG. The patients enrolled in ARTS II were treated with Cypher™ stent implantation. All patients were scheduled for clinical follow-up at one, six and twelve months, and after three and five years. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) included death, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), myocardial infarction (MI), repeat target vessel PCI (RPCI) and CABG. At one and three-year follow-up in ARTS II, both the female and male patients had an incidence of MACCE similar to ARTS I-CABG. When comparing the female and male population of ARTS II, there were no differences between the two genders in terms of inhospital outcome. At one year and three years there were no gender specific differences in the incidence of MACCE. Conclusions: Female and male patients in ARTS II had significantly lower MACCE rates compared with ARTS I-PCI, but similar to that of ARTS I-CABG. In ARTS II, MACCE free survival was similar for the two genders at three years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The need for repeated treatment of restenosis of a treated vessel remains the main limitation of percutaneous coronary revascularization. Because sirolimus (rapamycin) inhibits the proliferation of lymphocytes and smooth-muscle cells, we compared a sirolimus-eluting stent with a standard uncoated stent in patients with angina pectoris. METHODS: We performed a randomized, double-blind trial to compare the two types of stents for revascularization of single, primary lesions in native coronary arteries. The trial included 238 patients at 19 medical centers. The primary end point was in-stent late luminal loss (the difference between the minimal luminal diameter immediately after the procedure and the diameter at six months). Secondary end points included the percentage of in-stent stenosis of the luminal diameter and the rate of restenosis (luminal narrowing of 50 percent or more). We also analyzed a composite clinical end point consisting of death, myocardial infarction, and percutaneous or surgical revascularization at 1, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: At six months, the degree of neointimal proliferation, manifested as the mean (+/-SD) late luminal loss, was significantly lower in the sirolimus-stent group (-0.01+/-0.33 mm) than in the standard-stent group (0.80+/-0.53 mm, P<0.001). None of the patients in the sirolimus-stent group, as compared with 26.6 percent of those in the standard-stent group, had restenosis of 50 percent or more of the luminal diameter (P<0.001). There were no episodes of stent thrombosis. During a follow-up period of up to one year, the overall rate of major cardiac events was 5.8 percent in the sirolimus-stent group and 28.8 percent in the standard-stent group (P<0.001). The difference was due entirely to a higher rate of revascularization of the target vessel in the standard-stent group. CONCLUSIONS: As compared with a standard coronary stent, a sirolimus-eluting stent shows considerable promise for the prevention of neointimal pro