The 1-year patency rates did not differ significantly between the DCB and DES groups; diabetes mellitus, long lesion length, and severe calcification were identified as key factors associated with reduced patency rates.
One-year primary patency rates were similar between drug-coated balloon (DCB) and drug-eluting stent (DES) treatment for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans.
Diabetes mellitus was an independent risk factor for reduced patency after endovascular treatment.
Longer lesion length was an independent risk factor for reduced patency after endovascular treatment.
Severe calcification was an independent risk factor for reduced patency after endovascular treatment.
The study was a single-center retrospective comparison of 302 patients treated with DCB or DES.
The authors conclude that clinical management should emphasize individualized intervention strategies and postoperative management for high-risk patients.
This study looked back at records of 302 patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans, a condition in which leg arteries become narrowed or blocked. Patients had been treated at one hospital in China between 2021 and 2024, either with a drug-coated balloon (152 patients) or a drug-eluting stent (150 patients). The researchers compared how many patients still had an open treated artery one year later, mostly judged by ultrasound. About 87.5% of patients treated with the balloon and 89.3% of those treated with the stent had open arteries at one year. The difference was not statistically significant, suggesting the two approaches performed similarly in this group. The researchers also found that having diabetes, a longer diseased segment of artery, and severe calcium buildup in the artery were each linked to a higher chance that the artery would narrow again, regardless of which treatment was used. This research suggests that patient and lesion characteristics may matter more for outcomes than the choice between these two devices. The authors suggest that people with these risk factors may benefit from individualized treatment plans and closer follow-up. Because the study was retrospective and conducted at a single hospital, it cannot prove cause and effect, and its results may not apply to all patients.
Hu J, Wang M, Li X. (2026). Comparison of Primary Patency Rates and Influencing Factors Between Drug-Coated Balloons and Drug-Eluting Stents in the Endovascular Treatment of Lower Extremity Arteriosclerosis Obliterans.. Annali italiani di chirurgia. https://doi.org/10.62713/aic.4571