A Meta-Analysis of Contemporary Lesion Modification Strategies During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in 244,795 Patients From 22 Studies

Objectives: Outcomes with use of lesion-modification strategies in the drug-eluting stent era have received limited study.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of 22 studies published between 2004-2016 reporting outcomes after use of rotational atherectomy, cutting-balloon, and scoring-balloon angioplasty.

Results: In observational trials, acute luminal gain was higher after lesion modification as compared with control (standardized mean difference, 0.23 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.44; P=.04), with no difference in acute gain in randomized studies. Compared with control, lesion modification was associated with lower restenosis in randomized trials (odds ratio [OR], 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45-0.90; P=.01). Ninety-day incidence of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was higher after lesion modification in observational studies (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.05-1.83; P=.02), but similar in randomized trials. Ninety-day incidence of target-lesion or target-vessel revascularization (TLR-TVR) and myocardial infarction (MI) was similar. Ninety-day incidence of death was higher after lesion modification in observational studies (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.04-1.95; P=.03), but similar in randomized trials. At 1 year, the MACE rate was similar for lesion modification compared with control in observational studies, but lower after lesion modification in randomized trials (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.48-0.88; P<.01). TLR-TVR was higher with lesion modification in observational studies, but lower in randomized trials (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46-0.88; P<.01).

Conclusions: While observational studies suggest a higher early MACE rate and more restenosis, randomized trials show similar short-term and improved long-term outcomes with pre-stenting lesion modification compared with control.