Long-term clinical results of saphenous vein bypass graft lesions treated with bare-metal stents and drug eluting stents

ObjectiveTo evaluate the long-term clinical results of bare stents (BMS) and drug eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions, to examine the efficacy and safety of both and to determine the parameters that have predictive value for long term clinical results.MethodsBetween 2009 and 2011, the long-term results were examined and compared respectively in 107 patients with SVG lesions on whom revascularization was applied using BMS or DES.ResultsThe long-term results of BMS (n: 56) and DES groups (n: 51) were compared (average follow-up time for both groups: 22.1 ± 10.7 months). At one-year follow-up, the BMS group had higher target vessel revascularization (TVR) (33.9% vs 11.8%, p = .01) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (35.7% vs 15.7%, p: .02) compared to the DES group. There were no significant differences in myocardial infarction (MI) and mortality rates between the two groups. At a median follow-up of 2 years, there were no significant differences in composite MACE, TVR, MI and mortality rates between the two groups. Event free survival at 1 and 2 years was 84.3%, 66.7% vs 64.3%, 50% for DES and BMS group, respectively.ConclusionAt one year follow-up, patients receiving DES had significantly better clinical outcomes than their BMS counterparts. However, long term outcomes among the two groups were similar.

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