Endothelial dysfunction predicts clinical restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention

AbstractBackground. Endothelial dysfunction is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease and may predict in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. We evaluated if endothelial dysfunction could predict clinical and angiographic restenosis in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation for angina pectoris or acute coronary syndrome. Methods. One hundred patients were consecutively included after successful percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting for angiographic single vessel disease. All patients were evaluated with ultrasound detection of brachial artery reactivity at four weeks and with a symptom limited exercise stress test at six months and were followed for the occurrence of clinical or angiographic restenosis for 18 ± 6 months. Results. Twenty patients showed clinical signs of restenosis during 18 months follow-up and were referred to re-angiography. Patients with clinical restenosis had...