ComparisiOn of Neointimal coVerage betwEen zotaRolimus Eluting Stent and Everolimus Eluting Stent Using Optical Coherence Tomography at 9 Months (COVER OCT)

Recent autopsy study showed the most important histological and morphometric predictors of stent thrombosis were endothelial coverage and the ratio of uncovered to total strut after drug eluting stent (DES) implantation. Although there have been some controversies, incomplete stent apposition might be possible cause of very late stent thrombosis after DES implantation. Therefore, theoretically dual antiplatelet therapy should be continued to prevent the stent thrombosis until complete reendothelialization. But, detection of endothelial coverage over stent are no possible with available intravascular devices in clinical practice. Among currently available intravascular devices, intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) could give a more clear identification for a thin layer of NIH and malapposition with high-resolution (10 -20 μm) compared to intravascular ultrasound (100-150 μm). Previous OCT studies showed the significant different pattern of neointimal coverage between bare metal stent (BMS) and DES. In our experience, there was also some differences in neointimal coverage among the DESs, especially zotarolimus eluting stent (ZES). ZES have been known to be associated with significantly more neointimal coverage than SES at 8 months intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). This finding might be related with strut thickness and drug elution property. In our data, neointima was covered at 99.7% of stent strut in ZES, but 93.2% in sirolimus eluting stent (SES) at 9 month follow OCT. This difference was more distinct in patients with acute myocardial infarction (99.3% in ZES vs.79.9% in SES).

Both everolimus eluting stent (EES) was recently introduced and ZES resolute also will be available in the near future in Korea. Previous phosphorylcholine polymer was replaced with new, proprietary polymer which can provide extended elution kinetics in ZES resolute. Therefore, efficacy to suppress the neointimal growth might be improved but, safety for neointimal coverage needs to evaluate in human coronary artery. Both new DESs are cobalt chromium stent with thin stent strut and reported similar efficacy for suppressing the neointima growth. Also, endothelial coverage over stent strut occurred earlier compared to previous DESs (SES or PES) in animal experiments. But, there has been no data for neointimal coverage and malapposition of ZES resolute and EES using OCT in human coronary artery.

Recent paper according to Kubo et al reported that serial OCT examinations demonstrated markedly different vascular response up to 9 months after SES implantation between unstable angina and stable angina patients. These findings implied that initial native vessel status, which covered with stent, might be important and related with neointimal coverage and malapposition. But, there is little data evaluated the relationship between initial lesion status and neointimal coverage or late malapposition with OCT.

Therefore, this study investigates: 1) the relationship of the initial lesion and neointimal coverage or late malapposition and 2) the neointimal coverage and malapposition at 9 month after ZES resolute and EES implantation and 3) compare them between ZES resolute and EES at 9 months after stent implantation.

Study Objectives: