Effects of Drug-eluting Stents on Plasma C-reactive Protein Levels after Coronary Stenting: Comparison with Bare Metal Stents Stents

After coronary stenting, inflammatory mechanisms play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neointimal proliferation and in-stent restenosis. Drug eluting stents(DES) have been shown to reduce in-stent restenosis in various studies. We investigated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after DES implantation and compared with those after bare metal stent(BMS) implantation. In a prospective single center study, we performed percutaneous coronary intervention with a single stent in 67 patients(n=21 in BMS group, n=46 in DES group) with clinically stable angina. Plasma CRP levels were determined before intervention and 48 hrs, 72 hrs and 2 weeks after coronary stenting. There were 54 men(80.6%) and the age of patients ranged from 37 to 75 years(mean, 59±9 years). There was no difference in clinical and angiographic baseline characteristics except that more diabetic patients were included in DES group(34.8% vs 9.5%, p=0.04) and that the stent diameter was larger in BMS group(3.4±0.5 mm vs 3.0±0.4 mm, p<0.01). The plasma CRP levels at 48(13.4±14.7 vs 5.9±4.9 mg/L, p<0.01) and 72 hrs(16.7±19.8 vs 5.4±3.9 mg/L, p