Anti-inflammatory effect of abciximab-coated stent in a porcine coronary restenosis model

The aim of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of abciximab-coated stent in a porcine coronary overstretch restenosis model. Ten abciximab-coated stents, ten sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), and ten paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) were deployed with oversizing (stent/artery ratio 1.3:1) in porcine coronary arteries, and histopathologic analysis was done at 28 days after stenting. There were no significant differences in the neointima area normalized to injury score and inflammation score among the three stent groups (1.58±0.43 mm², 1.57±0.39 mm² in abciximab-coated stent group vs. 1.69±0.57 mm², 1.72±0.49 mm² in the SES group vs. 1.92±0.86 mm ², 1.79±0.87 mm² in the PES group, respectively). In the neointima, most inflammatory cells were lymphohistiocytes. Significant positive correlations were found between the extent of inflammatory reaction and the neointima area (r=0.567, p<0.001) and percent area stenosis (r=0.587, p<0.001). Significant correlations were found between the injury score and neointimal area (r=0.645, p<0.001), between the injury score and the inflammation score (r=0.837, p<0.001), and between the inflammation score and neointimal area (r=0.536, p= 0.001). There was no significant difference in the inflammatory cell counts normalized to injury score among the three stent groups (75.5±23.1/μL in abciximab-coated stent group vs. 78.8±33.2/μL in the SES group vs. 130.3±46.9/μL in the PES group). Abciximab-coated stent showed comparable inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration and neointimal hyperplasia with other drug-eluting stents in a porcine coronary restenosis model.