Stent Thrombosis in the Era of the Drug-Eluting Stent

Abstract

Coronary stent thrombosis (ST) has been regarded as a rare but catastrophic complication of bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation that normally occurs during the first few weeks after stenting. In the drug-eluting stent (DES) era, there has been increasing concern regarding higher rates of ST due to delayed endothelialization. However, a pooled meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials and registry studies showed rates of ST (0.4-1.5%) after DES to be similar to those of BMS. The rate of ST did not differ between sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents. Additionally, the rates of late ST were similar between DES and BMS. Remarkably, very late occurrence of ST, which develops up to 1-2 years after DES implantation, was significantly associated with complete cessation of antiplatelet therapy. Further large-scale studies are needed to determine the optimal combination and duration for antiplatelet therapy in order to prevent these serious thrombotic events. (Korean Circulation J 2005;35:791-794)