Gender differences in patients treated with the zotarolimus-eluting stent at a tertiary medical center

Gender-related differences in long-term outcomes of patients receiving the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) (Medtronic) have not been well defined. In this study, we evaluate the differences between men (M) and women (W) for 2-year target vessel failure (TVF) in an unselected consecutive series of patients treated with the ZES at our institution.

Data on 197 consecutive patients (133 M, 64 W) stented with the ZES were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint of the study was to compare gender-related outcomes in TVF, defined as the combined endpoint of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization (TVR). Secondary endpoints included TLR, TVR, acute stent thrombosis (ST) as defined by the academic research consortium (ARC), and cardiac death. The cine angiograms of the first consecutive 122 patients (79 M, 43 W) were independently reviewed by a cardiologist blinded to clinical outcome and SYNTAX scoring was performed. Follow-up was achieved using medical records and/or phone calls and was censored at 730 days. Descriptive analysis was performed on all variables. Univariate analysis compared the M and W cohorts. Logistic regression analysis modeling for predictors of TVF was performed and survival analysis between the 2 groups was plotted.

The 2 groups were well matched for demographic, clinical, angiographic, and procedural variables. Angiographic complexity was also statistically similar between the 2 groups as judged by SYNTAX scoring (15.8 ± 10.9 M vs 13.5 ± 8.3 W; P=.197). At 2-year follow-up, TVF was 22.6% and 32.8% (P=.684) with no statistical difference between TLR (18.1% M vs 12.8% W), TVR (21.8% M vs 32.8% W), cardiac death (2.3% M vs 6.3% W), and definite and probable stent thrombosis (2.26% M vs 3.13% W). Logistic regression analyses modeling for age, gender, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, non-left main (LM) bifurcation lesions, ostial lesions, trifurcating LM, and pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) lesion severity showed that a higher NYHA class (odds ratio [OR], 2.68; P=.005), ostial lesions (OR, 5.68; P<.001), bifurcating non-LM lesions (OR, 2.74; P=.015), and trifurcating LM lesions (OR, 28.24; P<.001) predicted a higher TVF. Female gender (P=.086) and age (P=.09) were not independent predictors of TVF.

In this cohort of patients receiving ZES, men and women had similar outcomes at 2-year follow-up consistent with recent reports in the current era of PCI. Complex coronary anatomy (ostial, non-LM bifurcations, and LM trifurcations) and advanced heart failure were stronger predictors of higher TVF than gender and age.