Background: Sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) reduce angiographic restenosis in patients with focal, native coronary artery stenoses. This study evaluated the usefulness of SESs in complex native-vessel lesions at high risk for restenosis.
Methods and results: Angiographic follow-up at 240 days was obtained in 701 patients with long (15- to 25-mm) lesions in small-diameter (2.5- to 3.5-mm) native vessels who were randomly assigned to treatment with SESs or bare-metal stents (BMSs) in the SIRIUS trial. Quantitative angiographic measurements of minimal lumen diameter and percent diameter stenosis were obtained within the treated segment, within the stent, and within its 5-mm proximal and distal edges. Patients treated with SESs had lower rates of binary (>50% diameter stenosis) angiographic restenosis within the segment (8.9% versus 36.3% with the BMS; P<0.001) and within the stent (3.2% versus 35.4% with the BMS; P<0.001). SESs were associated with significantly less late lumen loss within the treated segment, within the stent, and within its 5-mm proximal and distal edges (all P<0.001). The reduction of restenosis with the SES was consistent in patients at risk for restenosis, including those with small vessels, long lesions, and diabetes mellitus. The frequency of late aneurysms was similar in the 2 groups.
Conclusions: Compared with BMSs, SESs reduced angiographic late lumen loss within the stent and its adjacent 5-mm margins in patients with complex native-vessel lesions.