Performance of the Firebird™ Drug-eluting Stent in Diabetic Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Preliminary data have shown that the Firebird TM and the Cypher® stents have similar safety and efficacy profiles. However, to date, no study has evaluated percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the Firebird TM stent in diabetic patients. Methods: The performance of the FirebirdTM stent in diabetic patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 100) was compared with that of the Cypher® stent using historical data from the ARTS-II study (n = 159). One-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were compared. Results: Most of the patients in the FirebirdTM group were male (65%), with a mean age of 63.3 ± 10.4 years, and 5% were on insulin. Stable coronary syndrome was prevalent (60%), and 45% of patients had three-vessel CAD with preserved ventricular function (56.6 ± 13.7%). In patients with three-vessel CAD, 135 lesions were treated with three or more stents in 78% of cases and with two stents in the remainder. In patients with two-vessel CAD, 110 lesions were treated with two or more stents in 80% of the cases and with one stent in the remainder. The one-year incidence of MACE with the FirebirdTM stent was 21%. Mortality occurred in 3% of the patients, myocardial infarction in 2%, and a new revascularisation procedure in 18%, predominantly a new PCI (14% of cases). Comparison with the Cypher® group did not show differences for any of the evaluated endpoints. Conclusions: In the present study, the use of the FirebirdTM stent showed similar results to those of the patients in the ARTS-II study, demonstrating its suitability for use in the complex scenario of diabetic patients with multivessel CAD. DESCRIPTORS: Coronary disease. Angioplasty. Drug-eluting stents. Diabetes mellitus.