Outcomes after sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus.

Insulin-treated diabetic patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation are prone to high rates of adverse cardiac events. The efficacy of the sirolimus- (SES) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in this population was analyzed. Registry data for 434 consecutive patients with insulin-treated diabetes who underwent SES or PES implantation were analyzed. The end point, major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 1 year, was high for patients with SESs and PESs (20.6% vs 20.2%; p=0.91). Cox regression and propensity analysis were used to compare outcomes. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for MACEs according to stent type (Cox model) was 1.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64 to 1.76, p=0.82). The propensity score-adjusted (C statistic=0.66) HR was 0.95 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.61, p=0.84). Stent thrombosis rates were relatively high at 2.0% for SESs and 1.5% for PESs (p=0.49). The propensity score-adjusted HR for stent thrombosis was 2.7 (95% CI 0.31 to 23.6, p=0.37). In conclusion, SESs and PESs are similarly efficacious in insulin-treated diabetic patients. The high MACE and stent thrombosis rates are of concern. Additional studies in this group of patients are required to determine the optimal mode of revascularization and minimize the overall stent thrombosis rate.