One of the useful potential purposes for the new SIRTAX VERY LATE follow-up data beyond 5 years is that the results could serve as a benchmark in evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of the much newer drug-eluting fully bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, since the potential benefits of these new devices may not appear until relatively late, after the devices themselves have disappeared. SIRTAX VERY LATE sets the bar for stent-related adverse events 5 years or more after device implantation at an annual risk of less than 0.3%/year for stent thrombosis and less than 1%/year for ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization.
Session co-chair Hector Bueno, MD, drew attention to the fact that no significant differences in clinical outcomes were seen at either 5 or 10 years between the sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stent recipients. That’s noteworthy because more than a decade ago when the primary endpoint of SIRTAX was reported, much was made of the finding that the 9-month rate of major adverse cardiac events was significantly lower in the sirolimus-eluting stent group (N Engl J Med. 2005 Aug 18;353[7]:653-62). Over time, any outcome differences between the two devices were erased, observed Dr. Bueno of Complutense University of Madrid.
The SIRTAX VERY LATE study was funded by grants from Bern University Hospital. Dr. Räber reported having no relevant financial interests.
Simultaneously with his presentation in Rome at ESC 2016, the study results were published online (Eur Heart J. 2016 Aug 30. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehw343).