Efficacy of drug-coated balloon for repeated short-term restenosis of dialysis arteriovenous fistulas.

BACKGROUND

Drug-coated balloons (DCB) are used for vascular access interventional therapy (VAIVT). However, few studies on patients with repeated short-term restenosis after VAIVT using a standard balloon (SB) have been reported, and the effect of DCB use on patency in these patients remains unclear.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of DCB in patients with repeated short-term restenosis after VAIVT with SB.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective study. We enrolled 50 consecutive patients who suffered two consecutive restenosis episodes within 6 months after VAIVT with SB. In the third session, patients were treated with DCB or SB. Target lesion revascularization (TLR) was evaluated for 1 year after the third session, with the primary endpoint being the TLR-free rate at 6 months after VAIVT.

RESULTS

At the third procedure, 24 patients were treated with DCB (DCB group), whereas 26 were treated with SB (SB group). The TLR-free rates at 6 months and 1-year were significantly higher in the DCB group than in the SB group (79.2% vs 26.9%, < .001; and 41.7% vs 7.7%, = .005). In the DCB group, a significant correlation was observed between the TLR duration from VAIVT with DCB and the prerestenosis duration before DCB treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with repeated short-term restenosis after VAIVT, DCB use significantly improved short-term patency compared with that after SB use. DCB may help extend the period between sessions, which are repeated in the short term, to an acceptable length.