Relation to restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to vasomotion of the dilated coronary arterial segment.

Among 868 patients with successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), 437 were restudied angiographically and had a provocative test with ergonovine during coronary angiography performed before and 6 months after the procedure. The relation between provoked coronary artery spasm and restenosis was studied and 4 groups of patients were analyzed. Those in group 1 (n = 63) had spasm before and after PTCA and their rate of restenosis was high (55%), especially when spasm after PTCA was observed on the dilated coronary segment (restenosis rate 58%). Patients in group 2 (n = 78) had spasm before PTCA but without abnormal vasoconstriction at 6 months and their incidence of restenosis was 19%. Sixty-one patients in group 3 had no spasm before PTCA but developed spasm at restudy. The rate of restenosis was high (38%) in this group, especially when the spasm after PTCA was located on the dilated segment (43%). In group 4 (n = 235), patients had no spasm before or after PTCA and the restenosis rate was 20%. Thus, the presence of coronary artery spasm on the dilated coronary segment, 6 months after a successful PTCA, is frequently accompanied (43% in group 3 and 58% in group 1) by restenosis.