Are drug-eluting stents cost-effective when compared with bare-metal stents in a real-world setting?

摘要

Although drug-eluting stents (DESs) reduce restenosis rates more effectively than bare-metal stents (BMSs), their higher cost means that widespread use is not financially feasible. Whether DESs are good value for money and reduce long-term treatment costs in an unselected group of patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE To compare the incremental 6-month cost-effectiveness of DESs with that of BMSs in an unselected population of patients. DESIGN The single-center, prospective Basel Stent Kosten Effektivitats Trial (BASKET) included consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stenting between May 2003 and May 2004, irrespective of indication for PCI. The study excluded patients who had restenotic lesion or a target vessel diameter of 4 mm or more.