BACKGROUNDEarly local platelet activation after coronary intervention identifies patients at increased risk of acute stent thrombosis (AST). However, early changes in platelet activation in coronary circulation following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation have never been reported.

METHODSIn a prospective study of 26 consecutive elective stable angina patients, platelet activation was analyzed by measuring soluble glycoprotein V (sGPV) and P-selectin (CD62P) before and after implantation of either DES or bare metal stent (BMS). All patients were pretreated with clopidogrel (300 mg loading dose) and aspirin (75 mg orally) the day before the procedure. Blood samples were drawn from the coronary ostium and 10 - 20 mm distal to the lesion site.

RESULTSConsistent with the lower baseline clinical risk, the levels of CD62P and sGPV were within normal reference range, both in the coronary ostium and distal to the lesion before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure. The levels of CD62P and sGPV did not change significantly (CD62P: (31.1 +/- 9.86) ng/ml vs (29.5 +/- 9.02) ng/ml, P = 0.319 and sGPV: (52.4 +/- 13.5) ng/ml vs (51.8 +/- 11.7) ng/ml, P = 0.674, respectively) after stent implantation when compared with baseline. Changes in these platelet activation markers did not differ between stent types.

CONCLUSIONSIntracoronary local platelet activation does not occur in stable angina patients before and immediately following DES implantation when dual anti-platelet is administered.