Drug-eluting stents for the prevention of restenosis: in quest for the Holy Grail.
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Animals↗
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Drug-eluting stents: flashy future or flash-in-the-pan?
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Journal Article↗
Managing technological explosion in the medical management of coronary artery disease. Cardiovascular administrators are key internal consultants in planning for drug-eluting stent technology.
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Biomedical Technology↗
Molecular profiling of coronary stent testenosis: A systematic review and functional analysis of implicated genes.
BACKGROUND: Coronary stent restenosis occurs in approximately 5% of patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES) and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying restenosis may support precision medicine approaches to improve patient management.This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on genes and biological pathways associated with DES-related restenosis and to perform functional analysis of the implicated genes using bioinformatics tools. METHODS: The review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed for human studies investigating genetic or genomic factors in coronary restenosis, with the last search conducted in March 2024. Eligibility criteria included original studies reporting genetic associations with DES restenosis. Screening and data extraction were performed by a single reviewer. Identified genes underwent gene set enrichment analysis using Enrichr (Ma'ayan Laboratory, Computational Systems Biology) and ClueGo extension on Cytoscape (National Resource for Network Biology). RESULTS: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies highlighted multiple genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammatory signaling, and the renin-angiotensin system. Gene enrichment analysis confirmed the overrepresentation of these biological pathways in DES-associated restenosis. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review synthesizes the genetic and molecular contributors to DES-associated restenosis and identifies potential targets for future research and personalized therapies. No external funding was received, and the protocol was not registered.
Humans↗
First clinical experience with a paclitaxel derivate-eluting polymer stent system implantation for in-stent restenosis: immediate and long-term clinical and angiographic outcome.
BACKGROUND: It has been shown that antiproliferative drugs such as paclitaxel lower the amount of intimal hyperplasia after stent implantation. We report the first clinical experience of 7-hexanoyltaxol (QP2)-eluting polymer stent system (QuaDS) implantation for in-stent restenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen consecutive patients with elective indication to percutaneous coronary intervention for in-stent restenosis were treated with the QuaDS-QP2 stent implantation. The QuaDS-QP2 stent was successfully implanted in all but 2 target lesions. In one lesion, the restenotic segment could not be completely covered by the stent, and in another lesion, a bare metal stent was implanted distally to the QuaDS-QP2 stent. One patient suffered from postprocedural non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (NQWMI). No other adverse events were observed during hospital stay. Six- and 12-month angiographic and clinical follow-up was scheduled for all patients. At 6 months, 3 patients had target lesion revascularization (20%). Two patients had restenosis (13.3%); one experienced restenosis in a gap between 2 drug-eluting stents, and the other had stent occlusion leading to NQWMI. Minimal intimal hyperplasia was observed in all the segments covered by drug-eluting stents (late loss=0.47+/-1.01 mm with a loss index=0.17+/-0.39). At 12 months, 1 patient suffered from NQWMI, and 8 of 13 patients (61.5%) had angiographic restenosis (late loss=1.36+/-0.94 mm with a loss index=0.62+/-0.44). CONCLUSION: This first experience with QuaDS-QP2 stent implantation for in-stent restenosis revealed minimal intimal hyperplasia at the 6-month follow-up. However, the antiproliferative effect was not maintained at the 12-month follow-up, resulting in delayed occurrence of angiographic restenosis.
Bridged-Ring Compounds↗
[Coronary angioplasty in elderly patients].
Developed nations are experiencing an unprecedented growth in the number of elderly citizens. Thanks to the modernization of both society and medical care, over the past century, life expectancy in most countries has nearly doubled. The elderly (80 years or over) represent the fastest-growing segment of our population. Owing to their age, the elderly are more afflicted with chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease. Recently, clinicians became more aggressive in the use of invasive cardiovascular diagnostic tests in these patients. With regard to younger patients, we have a wealth of data from large, randomized trials that defined which subsets of patients benefit from revascularization therapies. However, because the very elderly were severely underrepresented in these randomized studies, we have almost no information concerning the choice of treatment in these patients. Initial results of percutaneous revascularization procedures in elderly patients come from retrospective analysis performed during the pre-stent era. In these studies a procedural mortality risk 5-fold higher in patients > 80 years compared with those < 60 is reported. With the advent of coronary stenting, a significant increase in the rate of procedural success and a reduction in the incidence of procedural mortality, acute myocardial infarction and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting were observed also in the elderly. These initial positive results prompted physicians to treat patients with impaired clinical conditions and with unfavorable angiographic characteristics, resulting in a long-term freedom from major adverse cardiac events comparable to those observed in younger patients (78% in patients < 70 years vs 75% in patients > 80 years). The comparison between the percutaneous approach and the surgical approach to coronary artery disease in the elderly has its major limitation in the lack of data from randomized trials. The available information suggests similar results with the two different strategies (5-year survival rate: 85.7% for the coronary artery bypass grafting group vs 81.4% for the percutaneous revascularization group) with a clear benefit in favor of surgery only in diabetic patients. The only constant difference is the need of a repeat intervention which is significantly higher for the percutaneous approach. Furthermore, the introduction of newer percutaneous devices suitable for the recanalization of totally occluded coronary arteries could increase the completeness of the revascularization achieved with the percutaneous approach with a positive effect on the long-term outcome. These considerations could be "out of time" if the results obtained with the use of drug-eluting stents observed in selected patient populations will be confirmed in larger trials and in routine clinical practice. Whereas the advantages of the percutaneous versus the surgical approach in the elderly have not been fully clarified in patients with stable or unstable angina, primary angioplasty appears to be a very promising strategy in old patients with acute myocardial infarction. The improved clinical success with percutaneous revascularization in the elderly (acute mortality in patients > 85 years: 28.4% reperfused vs 38.5% not reperfused; p = 0.001) has to be related to the use of stents and to IIb/IIIa antagonists. In conclusion, when an old patient needs myocardial revascularization, the percutaneous approach should, in our opinion, be considered the treatment of choice in subjects either with stable or unstable angina and in those with acute myocardial infarction. At present, surgical revascularization provides better results in diabetic patients. The advent of drug-eluting stents may change many of the current limitations of percutaneous revascularization and further expand the use of this strategy.
Age Factors↗
Human iPSC-EV-loaded nanofiber stent coatings accelerate vascular repair by enhancing EGFR/HIF-1α signaling and suppressing ROCK1-mediated remodeling.
Arterial disease management is shifting from antiproliferative drug-eluting stents toward approaches that restore endothelial function and modulate smooth muscle cell (SMC) behavior. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry miRNAs that promote endothelial proliferation and migration while restraining aberrant SMC growth and inflammation. Here, human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived EVs were collected by ultracentrifugation and incorporated into 50:50 poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA 503) core-shell nanofibrous membranes, which were fabricated as stent coatings for sustained release to overcome rapid clearance and poor tissue retention. EVs derived from three independent iPSC lines all enhanced tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under hypoxic and serum-starved conditions and revealed a trend toward reduced platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-induced smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration. The fabricated core-shell nanofibers enabled sustained EV release, maintaining therapeutic efficacy for 28 days. Small RNA sequencing (NGS) analysis demonstrated that EVs from these independent iPSC lines shared miR-148a-3p and members of the miR-92 family, which collectively accounted for more than 75% of the reads within the 25 top-expressed miRNA set. In vitro, iPSC-EVs enhanced HUVEC proliferation and survival signaling by downregulating the negative regulators ERRFI1 and VHL, which are specific targets of miR-148a-3p and the miR-92 family, thereby activating the EGFR and HIF-1α axes and driving downstream ERK1/2 and VEGF expression under hypoxic and serum starvation stress conditions. Concurrently, iPSC-EVs prevented PDGF-BB-induced SMC phenotypic switching by downregulating ROCK1, a target of miR-148a-3p, thereby inhibiting downstream AKT and ERK signaling and preserving contractile markers while suppressing the synthetic phenotype. In vivo, the iPSC-EV-functionalized scaffolds significantly accelerated re-endothelialization and inhibited neointimal hyperplasia, evidenced by the upregulation of angiogenic factors (VEGF, CD31) and the concurrent suppression of pathological remodeling markers (α-SMA, MMPs) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TGF-β1). Therefore, iPSC-EVs enriched with specific miRNAs and delivered via PLGA 503 core-shell nanofibers promote endothelial repair while suppressing SMC overgrowth, providing a promising strategy for vascular healing.
Core-shell nanofibers↗
Recent Developments in Coated Stents.
Next to optimizing of stent properties and profile, coating has been thoroughly investigated over the years to enhance hemocompatibility and tissue compatibility, not only in straight forward lesions, but also in smaller vessels and long and complex lesions. This is even more important because it is has become clear that treatment of restenosis and especially in-stent restenosis still has poor results, and the best way to diminish these refractory restenotic lesions is its prevention. Ongoing trials with new drug-eluting stents (including rapamycin) may introduce a new era of improvement.
Journal Article↗
Stenting of bifurcation lesions: a rational approach.
The occurrence of stenosis in or next to coronary bifurcations is relatively frequent and generally underestimated. In our experience, such lesions account for 15%-18% of all percutaneous coronary intervention > (PCI). The main reasons for this are (1) the coronary arteries are like the branches of a tree with many ramifications and (2) because of axial plaque redistribution, especially after stent implantation, PCI of lesions located next to a coronary bifurcation almost inevitably cause plaque shifting in the side branches. PCI treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions remains challenging. Balloon dilatation treatment used to be associated with less than satisfactory immediate results, a high complication rate, and an unacceptable restenosis rate. The kissing balloon technique resulted in improved, though suboptimal, outcomes. Several approaches were then suggested, like rotative or directional atherectomy, but these techniques did not translate into significantly enhanced results. With the advent of second generation stents, in 1996, the authors decided to set up an observational study on coronary bifurcation stenting combined with a bench test of the various stents available. Over the last 5 years, techniques, strategies, and stent design have improved. As a result, the authors have been able to define a rational approach to coronary bifurcation stenting. This bench study analyzed the behavior of stents and allowed stents to be discarded that are not compatible with the treatment of coronary bifurcations. Most importantly, this study revealed that stent deformation due to the opening of a strut is a constant phenomenon that must be corrected by kissing balloon inflation. Moreover, it was observed that the opening of a stent strut into a side branch could permit the stenting, at least partly, of the side branch ostium. This resulted in the provocative concept of "stenting both branches with a single stent." Therefore, a simple approach is currently implemented in the majority of cases: stenting of the main branch with provisional stenting of the side branch. The technique consists of inserting a guidewire in each coronary branch. A stent is then positioned in the main branch with a wire being "jailed" in the side branch. The wires are then exchanged, starting with the main branch wire that is passed through the stent struts into the side branch. After opening the stent struts in the side branch, kissing balloon inflation is performed. A second stent is deployed in the side branch in the presence of suboptimal results only. Over the last 2 years, this technique has been associated with a 98% angiographic success rate in both branches. Two stents are used in 30%-35% of cases and final kissing balloon inflation is performed in > 95% of cases. The in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate is around 5% and 7-month target vessel revascularization (TVR) is 13%. Several stents specifically designed for coronary bifurcation lesions are currently being investigated. The objective is to simplify the approach for all users. In the near future, the use of drug-eluting stents should reduce the risk of restenosis.
Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation↗
Restenosis: Intracoronary Brachytherapy.
Though interventional strategies have revolutionized the management of patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease, in-stent restenosis has emerged as the single most important limitation of long-term success following percutaneous coronary intervention. Once present, in-stent restenosis is extraordinarily difficult to treat, with conventional revascularization techniques failing in 50% to 80% of patients. Intracoronary radiation, or brachytherapy, targets cellular proliferation within the culprit neointima. Clinical trials have demonstrated that brachytherapy is a highly effective treatment for in-stent restenosis, reducing angiographic restenosis by 50% to 60% and the need for target vessel revascularization by 40% to 50%. The benefits of intracoronary brachytherapy may be particularly pronounced in certain patient subgroups (eg, those with diabetes, long lesions, or lesions in saphenous vein bypass grafts), but comes at the cost of an increased rate of late stent thrombosis and the need for extended antiplatelet therapy. The role of brachytherapy in the arsenal of the interventional cardiologist will continue to evolve, particularly in light of the unprecedented recent advances with the use of drug-eluting stents for restenosis prevention.
Journal Article↗
Update on In-stent Restenosis.
Although stents mitigate the risk of restenosis, in-stent restenosis (ISR) is still an important clinical problem. ISR usually occurs within the first 3 to 6 months after stenting, with little progression thereafter. ISR progresses through four distinct phases: thrombosis, inflammation, proliferation, and vessel remodeling. Platelets and macrophages play a crucial role in the formation of neointimal tissue via stimulation of vascular smooth muscle migration and proliferation at the injury site. The angiographic pattern of ISR conveys prognostic information on subsequent target vessel revascularization with diffuse proliferative ISR, with total occlusion having the worst prognosis. Stent length and final minimal lumen diameter are additional predictors of ISR. Certain gene polymorphisms may increase the risk of developing ISR. No curative therapeutic modality for ISR has been found; efforts have been focusing on prevention. In this regard, intracoronary radiation therapy has shown the best results, although the promise of several technologies, particularly the drug-eluting stents, will likely result in further reductions (or perhaps irradiation) in the incidence of ISR.
Journal Article↗
Histopathologic alterations after endovascular radiation and antiproliferative stents: similarities and differences.
BACKGROUND: Endovascular radiation and drug-eluting antiproliferative stents in experimental animals (normal pigs and rabbit arteries) show a decrease in the neointimal growth at 1 month vs. controls. However, this is accompanied by delayed healing characterized by persistence of neointimal fibrin (with or without inflammation), a decrease in smooth muscle cells, and incomplete endothelialization. Conversely, stainless steel control stents show complete healing with the neointima consisting of smooth muscle cells in a proteoglycan-collagen matrix and near complete luminal surface endothelialization. RESULTS: Long-term (3 and 6 months) animal studies fail to show any benefit with radiation or drug-eluting stents. These experimental results are discrepant from those seen clinically in man where both therapies have shown benefit at 6 months, suggesting that animal data may not be predictive of clinical results. The main differences can be explained on the basis of preclinical studies performed in juvenile animals without underlying atherosclerosis, which leads to accelerated healing in animals vs. man such that 1 month animal data likely correspond to 6 months in man. Therefore long-term (24-30 months) angiographic and/or IVUS follow-up studies in man will be required to determine if drug-eluting stents will behave similarly to animal studies at 3 and 6 months.
Animals↗
Percutaneous coronary intervention: current perspective.
More than 20 years have passed since percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was introduced for the treatment of coronary artery disease. During the first decade, PTCA outcome had improved significantly. However, acute occlusive complications and restenosis remained as significant limitations of the procedure. During the second decade, new procedures, such as stents and atherectomy (directional coronary atherectomy, and Rotablator) had been introduced and had a significant impact on the outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In addition to the improvements in the equipment, the use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors to prevent platelet aggregation has reduced procedure-related complications. PCI continues to evolve with new developments such as distal protection devices to prevent distal embolism, brachytherapy and drug-eluting stents to prevent restenosis. These new technologies may play a significant role in expanding the applications of PCI in the future.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
Clopidogrel vs Aspirin According to Diabetes Mellitus: A Prespecified Analysis of the SMART-CHOICE 3 Trial.
BACKGROUND: Recent trials support the superior efficacy of clopidogrel compared to aspirin monotherapy after completion of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, limited evidence is available in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of clopidogrel vs aspirin monotherapy according to the presence of DM. METHODS: This was a prespecified analysis of the SMART-CHOICE 3 trial, which was a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial comparing clopidogrel vs aspirin monotherapy in patients with complex coronary lesions or high-risk clinical characteristics. From August 2020 to July 2023, a total of 5,506 patients who underwent PCI and standard DAPT duration and had complex coronary lesions, DM, or previous myocardial infarction, were randomized to clopidogrel or aspirin monotherapy groups. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), which was defined as a composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, or stroke. RESULTS: Of 5,506 patients, 2,089 had DM (1,039 in the clopidogrel group and 1,050 in the aspirin group). At a median follow-up of 2.3 years (IQR: 1.6-3.0 years), DM patients had a higher risk of MACCE compared to non-DM patients (6.8% vs 4.7%; HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.10-1.87; P = 0.008). Clopidogrel showed a significantly lower risk of MACCE than aspirin in DM patients (4.5% vs 9.1%; HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38-0.86; P = 0.008). There was no significant interaction between DM and antiplatelet monotherapy regarding MACCE (P for interaction = 0.124). The risk of bleeding was comparable between the 2 groups in DM patients (2.9% vs 2.9%; HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.57-1.95; P = 0.855). CONCLUSIONS: Among DM patients who completed the standard duration of DAPT after PCI, clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with a lower risk of a composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, and stroke compared with aspirin monotherapy, without increased rates of bleeding. There was no significant interaction between DM and antiplatelet monotherapy with respect to MACCE. (SMART-CHOICE 3 [SMart Angioplasty Research Team: CHoice of Optimal Anti-Thrombotic Strategy in Patients Undergoing Implantation of Coronary Drug-Eluting Stents 3]; NCT04418479).
Humans↗
Overview of therapies for prevention of restenosis after coronary interventions.
Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and across the world. The economic impact of coronary artery disease is staggering and on the rise. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is widely used to treat severe, symptomatic coronary stenosis. The Achilles heel of angioplasty is restenosis of those treated arteries. As a result, numerous therapies, including mechanical and pharmacological approaches, to prevent restenosis have been studied. A greater understanding of the pathophysiology of restenosis has enhanced the success of these therapeutic approaches. To date, the most important and successful approach to limit restenosis has been the use of coronary stents. Stents have reduced the rate of restenosis from approximately 50% down to 20-30%. However, in-stent restenosis presents a new and an even more challenging dilemma. The success of adjunctive drug therapy has been promising, but, as of yet, very limited. Antithrombotic agents have reduced acute thrombosis and many of the acute complications of angioplasty. New approaches and therapies are very encouraging, and provide great hope in the treatment of restenosis. Brachytherapy has shown success in the treatment of in-stent restenosis, and recently has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for this indication. Drug-eluting stents using antiproliferative drugs are the most exciting new advance in preventing restenosis, currently in Phase III trials. Gene therapy, targeted drug delivery, and newer antithrombotic agents are also under investigation. We will review the pathophysiology of restenosis, animal models, pharmacological therapies, and mechanical approaches for the treatment of restenosis.
Animals↗
Restenosis and Reocclusion after Recanalization of an Occluded Coronary Artery: Is There a Light at the End of This Tunnel?
Since 1982, there have been many reports regarding percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of totally occluded coronary arteries. Technical advances and operator experience have allowed us to achieve success in most patients. Restenosis and reocclusion after total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) continue to present a challenge and reduce long-term effectiveness of the procedure. In addition, brachytherapy and drug-eluting stents may have a major impact on outcome. Both technologies require study in the setting of complex lesion total occlusion PCI; there may be a light at the end of this tunnel.
Journal Article↗
Comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention strategies for coronary small-vessel disease: a network meta-analysis of randomized trials.
BACKGROUND: Coronary small-vessel disease (SVD) remains challenging for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) because small lumens magnify restenosis and ischemic risk. Multiple devices are available, yet their comparative performance is uncertain. This study evaluated and ranked PCI strategies for SVD. METHODS: A systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to 15 August 2025. Eligible studies were English-language randomized controlled trials enrolling adults with angiographic SVD defined as reference vessel diameter ≤3.0 mm, comparing PCI strategies, and reporting target lesion revascularization (TLR), binary restenosis (BR), or myocardial infarction (MI). A frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis generated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and treatment rankings using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). RESULTS: Thirty-nine trials including 14,503 patients met the criteria. For TLR (37 studies; 11,980 patients), the highest SUCRA values were observed with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES 90.1%), zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES 83.9%), and everolimus-eluting stents (EES 82.2%). For BR (32; 6,468), SES, ZES, and paclitaxel-coated balloons (DCB-PTX) ranked highest (95.0%, 80.0%, and 78.3%). For MI (37; 11,602), SES, DCB-PTX, and ZES ranked highest (79.0%, 78.7%, and 68.5%). Representative effects showed SES reduced TLR versus bare-metal stents (BMS) (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15-0.43) and MI versus BMS (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21-0.79). Conventional approaches such as BMS, plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), and gold-plated balloon angioplasty (GPBA) ranked lowest across outcomes. CONCLUSION: SES provides the most consistent clinical benefit for coronary SVD. ZES, EES, and DCB-PTX are effective alternatives in selected settings, whereas BMS, POBA, and GPBA are less effective. These findings offer comparative evidence to guide device selection in SVD.
Humans↗
Clopidogrel Versus Dual-Antiplatelet Therapy for Long-Term Maintenance After Coronary Stenting in Ischemic and Bleeding Birisk Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes and Diabetes: A Prespecified Subgroup Analysis of the OPT-BIRISK Trial.
BACKGROUND: Among patients with acute coronary syndromes at both high bleeding and ischemic risk (birisk), extended clopidogrel monotherapy after 9 to 12 months of dual-antiplatelet therapy reduces bleeding without increasing ischemia. Whether this benefit extends to birisk patients with diabetes is unknown. METHODS: This prespecified subgroup analysis of the OPT-BIRISK (Optimal Antiplatelet Therapy for High Bleeding and Ischemic Risk Patients) trial included birisk patients with acute coronary syndrome who had completed 9 to 12 months of dual-antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were then randomized 1:1 to 9 months of clopidogrel plus placebo versus clopidogrel plus aspirin. Outcomes were compared by diabetes status. The primary end point was Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding at 9 months after randomization. The key secondary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebral events, defined as a composite outcome of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or clinically driven revascularization. RESULTS: Of 7758 patients, 4072 (52.5%) had diabetes. Clopidogrel monotherapy decreased Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding (2.1% versus 3.2%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.66 [95% CI, 0.45-0.97]) with no increase in major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (2.9% versus 3.6%; HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.56-1.12]) compared with clopidogrel plus aspirin in patients with diabetes. Outcomes were consistent in patients without diabetes, with no significant interactions by diabetes status. CONCLUSIONS: In birisk patients with acute coronary syndrome who were stable on dual-antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin for 9 to 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention, clopidogrel monotherapy for an additional 9 months reduced clinically relevant bleeding without increasing ischemic events compared with continued dual-antiplatelet therapy, irrespective of diabetes status. REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03431142.
Aged↗