Long-term outcomes of biodegradable versus 2nd generation durable polymer drug-eluting stents in PCI: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Rosa J Thuemmler
  • , Trisha Choudhary
  • , Yong Hui Tan
  • , Maria-Bianca Andrei
  • , Haipeng Liu
  • , Niraj S Kumar

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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    Abstract

    Background
    More than 3 million individuals globally experience STEMI each year, with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as the preferred revascularization method. While second-generation Drug Eluting Stents (DES) reduce restenosis compared to bare-metal stents, complications such as neoatherosclerosis and stent thrombosis remain. Second-generation stents, including durable polymer (DP-DES) and biodegradable polymer (BP-DES), aim to improve outcomes, though guidelines do not specify a preference. Given mixed results from prior studies and new long-term data, we aim to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing long-term outcomes of DP-DES vs. BP-DES following PCI.

    Methods
    This protocol has been developed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases will be searched for eligible observational and interventional studies from inception up to 5th of October 2024. Screening (title/abstract and full text), data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and quality of evidence assessment will be conducted by two independent reviewers. A random-effects model will be used to meta-analyse outcomes.

    Discussion
    DES have greatly advanced PCI for STEMI. However, long-term stent thrombosis remains an issue due to chronic inflammation and impaired healing from the stent’s polymer coating. To overcome this, BP-DES were introduced to dissolve their coating within 2–9 months. However, whether BP-DES offers superior long-term outcomes compared to second-generation DP-DES remains uncertain. While previous meta-analyses have shown similar outcomes, recent studies suggest BP-DES may offer better long-term results. This review will compare long-term outcomes (≥5 years) of BP-DES vs. DP-DES, providing important insights to inform clinical practice.

    Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42024592579)
    Original languageEnglish
    Article numbere0319946
    Number of pages9
    JournalPLoS ONE
    Volume20
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 19 Mar 2025

    Bibliographical note

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2025 Thuemmler et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

    Funding

    Competing interests: NSK received funding from the British Heart Foundation for a 4-year PhD. The authors would like to thank the National Medical Research Association for aiding the completion of this manuscript.

    Funders
    British Heart Foundation
    National Medical Research Association

      Keywords

      • Absorbable Implants
      • Drug-Eluting Stents
      • Humans
      • Meta-Analysis as Topic
      • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention - methods - adverse effects
      • Polymers - chemistry
      • Systematic Reviews as Topic
      • Treatment Outcome

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