Effects of small stent implantation on platelet function and clinical outcomes

AIM To assess the effects of small coronary stent implantation on platelet function in the coronary circulation in the patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS 39 patients with coronary heart disease underwent PTCA and in stent implantation. Blood samples were obtained from the coronary sinus immediately before and after stent implantation, 1 min after the first pre stent balloon dilation and 10 min after in stent. The plasma levels of GMP 140 and TXB 2 were measured by radioimmunoassay. All of the patients were followed up for six months so as to investigate the clinical effects. RESULTS In contrast with pre stent, there was a significant increase immediately after in stent [GMP 140 from (7.55±0.36) μg·L -1 to (9.83±0.78) μg·L -1 in small stent group and from (7.51±0.34) μg·L -1 to (9.60±0.38) μg·L -1 in control group, TXB 2 from (247±27) ng·L -1 to (399±23) ng·L -1 in small group and from (233±17) ng·L -1 to (385±19) ng·L -1 in control group; P 0.05], and a decreased trend 10 min after in stent implantation. During the following up, we didn't find any higher incidence rate of complication in small stent group. CONCLUSION The finding suggested that platelet function in coronary circulation might be activated during PTCA and in stent implantation, while on more significant increase of platelet activation could be detected during small stents deployment, and the risk of thrombosis is low.