Intra-stent tissue evaluation within bare metal and drug-eluting stents > 3 years since implantation in patients with mild to moderate neointimal proliferation using optical coherence tomography and virtual histology intravascular ultrasound

ObjectiveWe aimed to compare neointimal tissue characteristics between bare-metal stents (BMS) and drug-eluting stents (DES) at long-term follow-up using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS).BackgroundNeoatherosclerosis in neointima has been reported in BMS and in DES.MethodsThirty patients with 36 stented lesions [BMS (n = 17) or DES (n = 19)] > 3 years after implantation were prospectively enrolled. OCT and VH-IVUS were performed and analyzed independently. Stents with ≥ 70% diameter stenosis were excluded.ResultsThe median duration from implantation was 126.0 months in the BMS group and 60.0 months in the DES group (p < 0.001). Lipid-laden intima (58.8% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.317), thrombus (17.6% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.326), and calcification (35.3% vs. 26.3%, p = 0.559) did not show significant differences between BMS and DES. When divided into 3 time periods, the cumulative incidence of lipid-laden neointima from > 3 years to < 9 years was similar between BMS and DES (42.9% vs. 42.1%, p = 1.000). Furthermore, it continued to gradually increase over time in both groups. OCT-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was observed in 17.6% of BMS- and 5.3% of DES-treated lesions (p = 0.326). No stents had evidence of intimal disruption. The percentage volume of necrotic core (16.1% [9.7, 20.3] vs. 9.7% [7.0, 16.5], p = 0.062) and dense calcium (9.5% [3.8, 13.6] vs. 2.7% [0.4, 4.9], p = 0.080) in neointima tended to be greater in BMS-treated lesions. Intra-stent VH-TCFA (BMS vs. DES 45.5% vs. 18.2%, p = 0.361) did not differ significantly.ConclusionAt long-term follow-up beyond 3 years after implantation, the intra-stent neointimal tissue characteristics appeared similar for both BMS and DES.