Angioscopic assessment of peri-stent contrast staining following drug-eluting stent implantation

Peri-stent contrast staining (PSS) has been recognized as a predictor of late stent thrombosis following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. However, the intravascular conditions at PSS sites remain unclear.

We evaluated 10 patients (median age 72 years, 80% male) with stable angina pectoris by coronary angioscopy. The patients had a total of 11 DES implantations (5 sirolimus-eluting stents; 4 paclitaxel-eluting stents; 2 everolimus-eluting stents) that showed PSS. Neointimal coverage (NIC), presence of thrombus, and yellow plaques underneath the stent were compared between PSS and non-PSS sites for each stent. NIC was graded as: grade 0, struts exposed; grade 1, struts bulging into the lumen, although covered; grade 2, struts embedded by neointima, but translucent; grade 3, struts fully embedded and invisible. Mean follow-up was 394±206 days (median: 289). NIC grade was lower at PSS sites (P=0.021) with 8 out of 11 stents (73%) having grade 0. Angioscopy detected a thrombus more frequently at PSS sites than at non-PSS sites (64% vs. 9%, P=0.012). Yellow plaques tended to be more significant at PSS sites than at non-PSS sites (82% vs. 45%, P=0.091).

The angioscopic findings suggest high thrombogenicity at PSS sites.