Long-term effect of persistent smoking on the prognosis of Chinese male patients after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation.

Objectives: This study aimed to survey the adherence to smoking cessation and assess the influence of persistent smoking on the prognosis in male patients after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Methods: The smoking status at the time of the index procedure and at follow-up was surveyed in 656 male patients undergoing successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with DES in our center. These patients were divided into three groups, based on their smoking status: nonsmokers (n=226), quitters (n=283), and persistent smokers (n=147). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) during the follow-up period were carefully recorded and their relationship with smoking status was investigated for 24-41 months.

Results: Among 656 patients who were followed up for 27.24±6.33 (7-40) months, 430 of them were smokers (65.5%) at the index procedure. A total of 147 patients (22.4%) who continued to smoke, accounted for 34.2% of smokers at the time of PCI. Persistent smokers and quitters were more likely to be young (p<0.001) than nonsmokers, persistent smokers had more dyslipidemia (p=0.005), and fewer took aspirin (p=0.016) and statins (p=0.045) than quitters and nonsmokers. Weight gain was greater for quitters (p<0.016) than for nonsmokers. The incidence of all-cause death (6.1% v.s. 1.8% and 1.1%, p=0.004) and MACCE (15.0% vs 7.1% and 5.3%, p=0.002) in persistent smokers were significantly higher than those in nonsmokers and quitters. Multiple regression analysis showed that persistent smoking was a significantly determinant factor for all-cause death [hazard ratio (HR)=2.432, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.170-5.054; p<0.017] and MACCE (HR=1.519, 95% CI 1.049-2.200; p=0.027).

Conclusions: This is the first follow-up report about the long-term effect of persistent smoking in Chinese male patients after DES implantation. Our findings strongly indicate that poor adherence to smoking cessation is a predictive factor for all-cause death and MACCE.