Long-term (8-10 years) outcomes after biodegradable polymer-coated biolimus-eluting stent implantation.

OBJECTIVE: Efficacy and safety data on biodegradable polymer-coated biolimus-eluting stent (BP-BES) are currently limited to 5 years. We evaluated longer term (8-10 years) clinical and angiographic outcomes after BP-BES implantation.

METHODS: Between 2005 and 2008, 243 patients (301 lesions) underwent BP-BES implantation. The primary clinical outcome measure was defined as any target lesion revascularisation (TLR). Absolute serial angiographic studies without any concomitant TLR within 2 years after the procedure were performed in 55 patients (65 lesions) at postprocedure, mid-term (within 1 year), late term (between 1 and 2 years) and very late term (beyond 2 years).

RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 9.4 years (IQR 8.2-10.2 years). The 8-year cumulative incidence of any TLR was 20.3%. The increase rate was approximately 7% per year in the first 2 years, but decelerated to approximately 1.2% per year beyond 2 years after the procedure. The minimal lumen diameter significantly decreased from postprocedure (2.63±0.44 mm) to mid-term (2.43±0.59 mm, p=0.002) and from late term (2.27±0.63 mm) to very late term (1.98±0.73 mm, p=0.002). The 8-year cumulative incidences of definite or probable stent thrombosis (ST) and major bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) ≥3) were 0.5% and 12.0%, respectively. Definite ST was none within 10 years in the entire cohort.

CONCLUSIONS: The long-term clinical outcomes after BP-BES implantation were favourable, although angiographic late progression of luminal narrowing did not reach a plateau. The incidence of ST remained notably low, whereas that of major bleeding gradually increased.