[Cardiovascular risk factors and restenosis after PTCA]

We prospectively investigated the influence of the cardiovascular risk factors hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and arterial hypertension on the occurrence and extent of restenosis after successful coronary dilatation (PTCA). Of the 103 patients included in the study, control coronary angiography was obtained in 75 (73%) after 173 +/- 117 days. The restenosis rate (82 stenoses), defined as greater than or equal to 50% loss of initial gain in percent diameter stenosis, was 37%. Older age, male gender, and a history of diabetes mellitus were associated with a significantly increased mean extent of restenosis (p less than 0.05). In patients with hypertension, the initial success of dilatation was less than in controls without hypertension (p less than 0.05), and restenosis tended to be enhanced (p = 0.06). The risk of restenosis was unaffected by smoking and the presence of hypercholesterolemia. In spite of the mostly insignificant influence of single cardiovascular risk factors, the extent of restenosis clearly increased with the number of risk factors.