Large Study Begins on Coated Stents

A new study seeks to determine whether coating a stent with an immuno-suppressive drug will prevent restenosis. The study will track more than 1,000 patients in 55 U.S. medical centers.

In the study, the stent is sprayed with a polymer that contains sirolimus (Rapamune), a drug known to inhibit cell growth that is currently used to prevent rejection of kidney transplants. When used to coat a stent, the drug is released slowly over a four-week period and appears to interrupt events that can lead to reblockage. Sirolimus does not kill cells but prevents their replication.

Cardiologists at the Lenox Hill Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute of New York (NY, USA) are lead investigators in the study. A previous study conducted at Lenox Hill Hospital included the application of gamma and beta radiation seeds at the site of the stent to interrupt the growth of scar tissue. The results, published in the January 25 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, indicate that the procedure is effective in reducing the chance of restenosis by 50%.

"Preliminary data from pilot studies conducted abroad indicate that the addition of sirolimus prevents the formation of scar tissue at the site of the stent,” said Dr. Martin B. Leon, CEO of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation at Lenox Hill.




Related Links:
Lenox Hill