[Initial and mid-term effects of > or = 30 mm long sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with diffuse long coronary lesions: comparison with bare metal stents].

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) can reduce restenosis and reintervention compared with bare metal stents (BMS). However, the safety and efficacy of SES for diffuse long lesions remain unknown. This study compared the efficacy of SES and BMS using the initial and mid-term outcomes of 124 patients with 130 long coronary lesions (SES lengths > or = 30 mm) compared to 141 patients with 146 lesions treated with BMS. RESULTS: Quantitative coronary arteriography parameters and initial success rate were not significantly different between the two groups. Occurrence of stent thrombosis was not different between the groups (1 case, 0.7% in group SES vs 0 case, 0% in group BMS). Restenosis and major adverse cardiac event rates at 6 months were lower in the SES group than in the BMS group (3.1% vs 34.2%, p < 0.0001, 3.8% vs 31.5%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Initial effects of sirolimus-eluting stents for diffuse long lesions are as useful and as safe as BMS. The mid-term outcomes for SES are superior due to the lower rates of both restenosis and major adverse cardiac event.