Abstract
Background: Thrombin-mediated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation has been implicated in coronary restenosis. Attempts to inhibit this mitogenic activity have recently focused on non-physiologic direct thrombin inhibitors, whereas endogenous thrombin inhibitors such as antithrombin III (ATIII) have received little attention. ATIII is the main physiologic inhibitor of thrombin and may thus be a potential therapeutic agent for prevention of restenosis. Methods: Human ATIII (125 U/kg) and heparin (200 U/kg) were administered to 12 atherosclerotic swine 30 min prior to inducing restenosis by oversized stent (left anterior descending and right coronary arteries; stent-to-artery ratio =1.2) and balloon injury (circumflex; balloon artery ratio ≃ 1.2). Eleven control swine received only heparin every 6 h for 24 h and were subjected to similar stent and balloon injury. Quantitative coronary angiography [change in minimal lumen diameter (ΔMLD)] and morphometric analysis [percentage area stenosis (PAS)] were performed 4 weeks later. Results: ATIII activity (mean ± SD) of treated swine increased from a baseline of 103 ± 10% to a peak of 266 ± 48%, whereas trough levels were maintained at 259 ± 55% for 72 h by drug infusions every 6 h. The ΔMLD, the primary angiographic endpoint in the balloon injured vessel was -0.57 ± 0.33 mm in heparin group versus -0.26 ± 0.27 mm in the ATIII group (P ≤ 0.03). For stented vessels the ΔMLD was -0.61 ± 0.33 mm in the heparin group versus -0.41 ± 0.37 mm in the ATIII group (P ≤ 0.06). The PAS for the balloon injured vessels was 30 ± 12% in the heparin group versus 19 ± 14 in the ATIII group (P ≤ 0.06). In stented vessels the PAS was 45 ± 16% in the heparin group versus 38 ± 16% in the ATIII group (P ≤ 0.1). Conclusion: Supraphysiologic ATIII levels in combination with heparin inhibits the reduction in MLD in coronary arteries subjected to oversized balloon injury and demonstrates a beneficial trend in arteries subjected to oversized stent injury. These data provide cautious optimism for further investigation with ATIII to prevent coronary restenosis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 851-861 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Coronary Artery Disease |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1996 |
Keywords
- animal model
- antithrombin III
- restenosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine