Steroids for Prevention of Restenosis in Bare-metal Stents
This analysis was limited to the five published studies pertaining to patients treated in randomized clinical trials receiving moderate to high doses of oral corticosteroids to assess impact on angiographic restenosis and adverse clinical events. The power of the analysis is limited accordingly. In addition, the cohort of patients under study in one publication was restricted to patients with elevated CRP levels. Thus, the applicability of the observations to a less selected population is uncertain.Long-term side effects of steroid use with high doses were not studied, like for osteoporosis which could lead to fracture hip and could lead to increase the mortality indirectly — though the risk is probably attenuated with short-term pulse use of steroids as in most of the included studies. Heterogeneity in the results indicates the need for larger randomized studies. Also, longer-term outcomes data remain awaited.
Limitations
This analysis was limited to the five published studies pertaining to patients treated in randomized clinical trials receiving moderate to high doses of oral corticosteroids to assess impact on angiographic restenosis and adverse clinical events. The power of the analysis is limited accordingly. In addition, the cohort of patients under study in one publication was restricted to patients with elevated CRP levels. Thus, the applicability of the observations to a less selected population is uncertain.Long-term side effects of steroid use with high doses were not studied, like for osteoporosis which could lead to fracture hip and could lead to increase the mortality indirectly — though the risk is probably attenuated with short-term pulse use of steroids as in most of the included studies. Heterogeneity in the results indicates the need for larger randomized studies. Also, longer-term outcomes data remain awaited.
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