Abstract:
Influence of parameters of the coagulation system and of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on the development of in-stent-restenosis in patients with stable coronary heart disease- a pilot study
Abstract:
Objective: In spite of good angiographic and clinical short-term results, the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent-implantation is limited by the development of in-stent-restenosis.
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the coagulation system and of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on the development of in-stent-restenosis after PTCA and implantation of a bare-metal-stent in patients with stable coronary heart disease. Predictors of the in-stent-restenosis, as sensitive and as specific as possible, should be found.
Because of the small number of cases, statistically, it’s a question of a purely descriptive pilot study. Any existing statistically significant correlations between parameters of the coagulation system or BNP and the development of in-stent-restenosis should be confirmed by a further study with a larger collective of patients.
Methods: We included 16 patients, all with stable coronary heart disease, in the study. They have been treated electively by PTCA and implantation of a bare-metal-stent. Before, directly after and 24 hours after stent-implantation, blood samples have been taken to determine coagulation parameters (thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), prothrombinfragment 1+2 (F1+2), plasmin- alpha-2-antiplasmin-complex (PAP), D-dimers (DD) and fibrinogen (Clauss)) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). An ambulant follow-up after one and three months took place to detect newly occurred angina pectoris, coronary re-interventions and the parameters mentioned above. Six months after stent-implantation, we additionally recorded an ECG at rest as well as an exercise ECG and effected an echocardiography. Furthermore, the stent-area was examined by coronary angiography.
In this study, three groups of patients have been established and compared with each other: patients with significant in-stent-restenosis (> 50%), patients with modifications (< 50%) in the stent-area and patients without any alterations inside the stent.
Results and conclusion: This pilot study did not show clear correlations between newly occurred angina pectoris, signs of ischemia in the ECG at rest or rather exercise ECG, or echocardiographic alterations and significant in-stent-restenosis six months after stent-implantation. We could not detect correlations between prothrombinfragment 1+2, fibrinogen or BNP and the incidence of in-stent-restenosis in coronary arteries. But, we suspected, that a hypercoagulable state could exist in patients with significant in-stent-restenosis. We found a trend towards elevated TAT-complex-concentrations, indicating increased thrombin activation. Furthermore, we assumed lower PAP-concentrations as an expression of decreased plasmin activation in patients with in-stent-restenosis. Finally, decreased D-dimers in patients with stenosis in the stent-area, referred to a relative inactivity of the fibrinolysis system. The existence of this mismatch between coagulation and fibrinolysis in favour of the coagulation system caused possibly the development of in-stent-restenosis. Naturally, these suppositions should be confirmed by a following study including a larger number of patients.
Although, on account of the small number of cases, we could not show any statistical significance in this pilot study, it might point the way for further investigations with a larger collective of patients.