OBJECTIVETo evaluate risk factors and clinical outcome of coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) developed after drug-eluting stent implantation evidenced by coronary angiographic follow-up.

METHODSThis study analyzed 4500 consecutive patient with de novo coronary artery stenosis receiving drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation from January 2004 to May 2009. Seven hundred and sixty patients with angiographic follow-ups at 6 - 8 months and 28 - 48 months after the index procedure were enrolled. CAA was defined as a localized dilatation exceeding 1.5 times the diameter of the adjacent artery. The independent risk factors and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target-vessel revascularization (TVR) and in-stent thrombosis were analyzed.

RESULTSCAA was detected in 70 patients with 70 lesions (9.2%, 70/760). Logistic analysis showed that lesion in an infarct-related artery (OR: 5.9, P < 0.01), lesion in the left anterior descending artery (OR: 4.5, P < 0.01), lesion with chronic total occlusion (OR: 3.4, P < 0.05), and lesion length > 33 mm (OR: 2.9, P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for CAA. Follow-up duration was (1131 ± 478) days. MACE was found in 19 patients and all received TVR. There were 11 patients with myocardial infarction and 8 patients with evidence of in-stent thrombosis. Mortality was zero during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSThe risk factors for the development of CAA after DES are lesions in an infarct-related artery, in the left anterior descending artery, with chronic total occlusion, and with lesion length > 33 mm. MACE is not uncommon in patients with CAA and long-ferm clinical follow-up is warranted for patients with CAA.