OBJECTIVETo compare the short- and long-term clinical outcomes between sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher stent) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (TAXUS stent) in patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions of the coronary arteries.

METHODSFrom December 2002 to March 2005, 253 patients with ISR lesions of the coronary arteries were selected and divided into two groups. Cypher group (152 cases) was treated with Cypher or Cypher Select stents, and TAXUS group (101 cases) with TAXUS stents. A total of 262 ISR lesions in these patients were treated with 308 drug-eluting stents (DESs), including 176 Cypher or Cypher Select stents and 132 TAXUS stents. All patients were followed up for 10 months. Procedure success rates of DES implantation in both groups were observed. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rates in hospital and at 10 months follow-up, as well as in-DES restenosis observed using coronary angiography at follow-up were compared between two groups.

RESULTSSuccess rate of DES implantation was 100% in both groups. No significant difference in MACE rate during hospitalization was found between the two groups. However, at 10 months follow-up, MACE rate was higher in TAXUS group than in Cypher group (16.00% vs. 6.67% , P = 0.031). As for coronary angiography at 10 months follow-up, we observed an increasing tendency of in-DES restenosis rate in TAXUS group compared with Cypher group (29.41% vs. 14.04%, P = 0.075).

CONCLUSIONSCypher and TAXUS DESs both have good short- and long-term outcomes in treating ISR. Cypher DES proved better long-term clinical outcome than TAXUS DES.