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Objectives: The Multicentre registry with Antiplatelet TReatment two–sIX months (MATRIX) evaluated safety and efficacy at 12-month follow-up of Janus Flex stenting with 2- or 6-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) period. Background: There are no data of Janus Flex stent (Carbostent and Implantable Devices—CID, Saluggia, Italy), a polymer-free, tacrolimus-eluting coronary stent, followed by short-term DAT, in daily practice. Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled at 12 high-volume procedures centres. After stenting, four sites prescribed 2-month DAT, eight sites 6-month DAT. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and stent thrombosis (ST) rate was evaluated at 12-month follow-up, for entire population, as well as for 2- and 6-month DAT groups, distinctly. MACE included cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results: From March 2007 to June 2008, 572 patients (mean age 64.91 ± 11 years, 77.45% males) were enrolled. After successful stenting, 12-month follow-up showed a 12.74% MACE occurrence (cardiac death 0.98%; MI 3.13%; TLR 8.62%), with good Janus Flex safety profile confirmed by only two (0.39%) ST. After adjustment for potential confounding, no significant differences were noted at 12-month follow-up among 2- or 6-month DAT groups (MACE—8.99% versus 12.47%, P = 0.16; cardiac death—0.54% versus 1.14%, P = 0.52; MI—2.38% versus 2.71%, P = 0.83; TLR—5.66% versus 10.60%, P = 0.20; ST—0% versus 0.55%, P = 0.99). At multivariable analysis, DAT time duration was not an independent risk factor for adverse events (adjusted HR 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.16–1.35, P = 0.16). Conclusions: Janus Flex coronary stenting, followed by short DAT, is safe and feasible, without differences between 2- and 6-month DAT groups. A randomized trial confirming these encouraging data is needed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The aim of this study is to investigate the T helper (Th)2-dependent release of interleukin(IL)-4 and IL-13 in patients with unstable angina treated with coronary angioplasty (PCI).This study involved 48 consecutive patients with unstable angina who underwent PCI. Blood samples were taken before and 48 h after PCI to evaluate serum IL-4 and IL-13 levels. Coronary atherosclerosis was assessed in terms of the severity of the treated lesions and the presence of multivessel disease, and compared with IL release.Before and after PCI, serum IL-4 levels were, respectively, 53.1+/-110.7 and 35.1+/-16.9 pg/ml (P not significant), and serum IL-13 levels 6.7+/-3.7 and 6.0+/-2.9 pg/ml (P0.05). A correlation was present between the severity of the treated coronary lesions and serum IL-13 levels (r 0.36; P0.05). The patients with multivessel coronary artery disease had a higher periprocedure ratio of IL-4 than those with single-vessel coronary artery disease (1.46+/-0.76 vs. 0.89+/-0.34, P0.001).A significant decrease was observed in Th2-dependent IL concentrations after PCI; increased Th2-dependent IL levels before PCI seem to correlate with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.