Chronic treatment with trimetazidine after discharge reduces the incidence of restenosis in patients who received coronary stent implantation: a 1-year prospective follow-up study

Abstract

Background: The incidence of stent restenosis (SR) has risen with as more patients are being treated with drug-eluting stents (DESs). Trimetazidine has multiple favorable effects on the cardiovascular system. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether chronic treatment with trimetazidine reduced the incidence of SR.

Methods: From January 2009 to December 2011 at Chinese PLA General Hospital, 768 patients were enrolled and randomized into the trimetazidine treatment group (TG, n = 384) and control group (CG, n = 384). After DES implantation, all patients were treated with regular medication. In the TG, trimetazidine was administrated at 20mg tid for at least 30days. All patients received follow-up angiography 9-13 months after discharge. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were recorded.

Results: Six hundred thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis (TG, n = 312; CG, n = 323). SR occurred in 49 (7.7%) patients. The TG had a lower incidence of SR compared to the CG (4.2% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.001). At the 30-day follow-up, the TG exhibited a higher left ventricular ejection fraction than the CG (65.4 ± 10.7 vs. 63.1 ± 10.4, p = 0.006). The incidence of MACCEs was also lower in the TG at the 1-year follow-up (6.1% vs. 10.8%, p = 0.032). Further multivariate analysis revealed that trimetazidine treatment was a predictor for SR (OR: 0.376; 95% CI: 0.196-0.721; p = 0.003).

Conclusions: Trimetazidine treatment effectively reduced the incidence of SR and MACCEs after DES implantation at the 1-year follow-up.

Keywords: Drug-eluting stents; Endothelial dysfunction; Stent restenosis; Trimetazidine; Vascular smooth muscle cell.