Recurrent ischemia more than 1 year after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. An analysis of the extent and anatomic pattern of coronary disease

Of 1,181 consecutive patients who underwent successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as an initial revascularization procedure and who had at least 1 year of asymptomatic follow-up, 66 (6%) underwent repeat angiography because of recurrent symptoms or evidence of exercise-induced ischemia. Patients who had revascularization procedures within 1 year of PTCA were not included in the analysis. Mean time to recurrent ischemia was 30.8 +/- 17.4 months (range 12-89 months). At follow-up, 47 patients had angina, 13 had atypical chest pain, two had acute myocardial infarction, and four had positive exercise tests without symptoms. No patient showed spontaneous regression in the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD). As compared with the extent of CAD immediately after PTCA, the extent of CAD at follow-up did not change in 26 patients (39%); it increased by one vessel in 30 (45%), by two vessels in seven (11%), and by three vessels in three (5%). The pattern of CAD seen at follow-up compared with that seen after PTCA was as follows: 18 patients (27%), no change; seven (11%), restenosis only; 30 (45%), progression of CAD at other sites only; and 11 (17%), a combination of restenosis and progression of CAD at other sites. The time to recurrence of ischemia was significantly different between those with restenosis only versus those with progression only (20.1 +/- 9.2 vs. 38.3 +/- 18.5 months) (p less than 0.009). Progression of CAD was equally distributed between dilated and nondilated vessels; however, when progression occurred in the PTCA vessel, it was significantly more likely to be distal to the PTCA site (p less than 0.008).