Postangioplasty restenosis rate between segments of the major coronary arteries

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 194 - 200
• Main Authors: Hermans, Walter R.M., Rensing, Benno J., Kelder, Johannes C., de Feyter, Pim J., Serruys, Patrick W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.01.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Coronary Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Disease - pathology; Coronary Disease - therapy; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Humans; Medical sciences; Radiography; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Recurrence; Human; Restenosis; Follow up study; Coronary artery; Instrumentation therapy; Cardiovascular disease; Complication; Instrumental dilatation; Coronary heart disease
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9149(92)91304-M

Conflicting data have been published regarding the rate of postangioplasty restenosis observed in diverse segments of the coronary tree. However, these studies may be criticized for their biased selection of patients, methods of analysis, and definitions of restenosis. In the present study, 1,353 patients underwent a successful coronary dilatation of ≥1 site. In all, 1,234 patients (91%) had a follow-up angiogram after 6 months, or earlier when indicated by symptoms. All films were processed and analyzed at the thoraxcenter core laboratory with the coronary angiography analysis system (automated contour detection). Restenosis was considered present if the diameter stenosis at follow-up was >50%. No differences in restenosis rates were observed between coronary segments using this categorical definition. A continuous approach was also used; absolute changes in minimal luminal diameter adjusted for vessel size were used in order to allow comparison between vessels of different sizes (relative loss). No significant differences were observed between the coronary segments with this continuous approach. These results suggest that restenosis is a ubiquitous phenomenon without any predilection for a particular site in the coronary tree.