Aims: We assessed the use of the endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture stent in primary percutaneous intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Methods and results: One hundred and twenty patients with acute STEMI without cardiogenic shock received 129 EPC capture stents. Procedural success was achieved in 95% of patients. Dual antiplatelet therapy was given for a month and statin therapy started immediately after the procedure. The study end points are major adverse cardiac events inhospital and at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year. Hypertension was present in 47.5% and diabetes mellitus in 30% of the patients. The left anterior descending artery was the treated artery in 54% of the patients. Mean lesion length was 17.4 +/- 7.15 mm with mean reference vessel diameter of 3.18 +/- 0.6 mm. Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor was used in 14% of patients and 58% had thrombosuction before stent implantation. Ninety-five percent of patients achieved Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 3 flow with cumulative major adverse cardiac event rate at 1.6% inhospital, 4.2% at 30 days, 5.8% at 6 months, and 9.2% at 1 year. There was 1 patient each with acute and subacute stent thrombosis but no incidence of late stent thrombosis.
Conclusion: Using EPC capture stent during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI is feasible and safe.