Impact of drug eluting stents on the progression of coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the drug eluting stents can affect the progression of coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Methods Four hundred and ten patients, who had angiography follow up at more than 9 months after drug eluting stents implantation, were included in the study. At the initial angiography immediately after stents there were 276 atherosclerotic plaques ≥10% diameter stenosis. According to the relationship of the plaque position and the stent, the plaques were classified into two groups: group 1, plaques located within 5–20 mm distance to the stents; group 2, plaques located more than 20 mm away from the stents. The QCA diameter stenosis was analysed at the initial and follow up angiography. Plaque progression was defined if the stenosis value aggravated 10. The plaque progression rate was compared between two groups with T test. Results One hundred and seven plaques located within 5–20 mm distance to the stents (group 1), among them 25 plaques progressed at the follow-up, and 14 lesions were stented at follow-up; 169 plaques located more than 20 mm away from the stents (group 2), among them 58 plaques progressed at follow-up, and 37 plaques were stented at follow-up. The plaque progression rate exists significant difference between different groups (23.36% vs 34.32%, p=0.035), the re-PCI rate exists difference too (13.08% vs 21.89%, p=0.045). Conclusions The plaques near the drug eluting stents (not in segments) seems less progressed at follow-up.