The adequate intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) criteria for stent optimization have not been determined in long coronary stenting. We evaluated the predictors of angiographic restenosis and compared that according to stent lumen cross-sectional area (CSA) and stent length between short (stent length < 20 mm) and long (≥20 mm) coronary stenting.

IVUS-guided coronary stenting was successfully performed in 285 consecutive patients with 304 native coronary lesions. Six-month follow-up angiogram was performed in 236 patients (82.8%) with 246 lesions (80.9%). Results were evaluated using conventional (clinical, angiographic, and IVUS) methodology.

The overall angiographic restenosis rate was 22.8% (56/246)(short stent 17.6% vs long stent 32.2%, p=0.009). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the independent predictors of angiographic restenosis were the IVUS stent lumen CSA (odd ratio=1.51, 95% CI 1.18-1.92, p=0.001) and stent length (odd ratio=0.95, 95% CI 0.91-1.00, p=0.039). The angiographic restenosis rate was 54.8% in stent lumen CSA <5.0 mm² (short stent 37.5% vs long stent 73.3%, p=0.049), 27.4% between 5.0 and 7.0 mm² (short stent 24.1% vs long stent 31.7%, p=0.409), 10.5% between 7.0 and 9.0 mm² (short stent 10.0% vs long stent 12.5%, p=0.772), and 11.4% in stent lumen CSA ≥9.0 mm² (short stent 10.4% vs long stent 13.3%, p=0.767)(p=0.001).

Compared with short coronary stenting, long coronary stenting is effective treatment modality to cover long lesions with com-parable long-term clinical outcomes in cases of stent lumen CSA ≥7.0 mm². Regardless of the stent length, the most important factor determining the angiographic restenosis was the IVUS stent lumen CSA in relatively large coronary artery lesions.