Comparative Study of Neointimal Coverage Between Titanium-nitric Oxide-coated and Everolimus-eluting Stents in Acute Coronary Syndromes

Introduction And Objectives: To evaluate by optical coherence tomography neointimal healing response after implantation of cobalt-chromium-based titanium-nitride-oxide-coated (TiNO) stents and platinum-chromium-based biodegradable-polymer-coated everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Methods: Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either a TiNO-stent or EES. Optical coherence tomography images were obtained at 30-day (cohort A, n = 52) and 6-month (cohort B, n = 30) follow-up. The primary endpoint was the percentage of uncovered struts per patient.

Results: In cohort A, the percentage of uncovered struts was lower with TiNO-stents vs EES (3.2% vs 19.6%, P <.001). The percentage of malapposed struts was 0.4% in the TiNO-group and 2.1% in the EES group (P <.001). In cohort B, the percentage of uncovered struts was also lower with TiNO-stents (0.0% vs 8.7%, (P <.001). The percentage of malapposed struts was 0% in the TiNO-stent group and 0.3% in the EES group, (P=.008). None of the patients had repeat revascularization during the 6 months of follow-up.

Conclusions: Following percutaneous intervention for acute coronary syndrome, TiNO stent implantation was associated with a lower percentage of uncovered and malapposed struts per patient, compared with EES, at early and mid-term follow-up. This study is registered under ClinicalTrials.gov, with number NCT02464397.