Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the use of bare metal stents is associated with restenosis in approximately 10% to 50% of cases.~Stenting may induce endothelial damage/dysfunction and inflammatory reactions, which in turn delay healing and endothelialization and may lead to restenosis and atherosclerosis within the stented segments.~Indeed, experimental studies indicate a marked activation of inflammatory cells at the site of stent struts, which is likely to play a key role in the process of neointimal proliferation and restenosis. Indeed, tumor necrosis factor and interleukins 1 and 6 are powerful stimuli for smooth muscle cell proliferation.~The sedative and antinausea drug thalidomide has been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and antioncogenic properties that could be of benefit in case of PCI with stenting.~The primary objective of this study is to carry out a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to assess the effects of oral thalidomide on restenosis rate after successful stent implantation.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the use of bare metal stents is associated with restenosis in approximately 10% to 50% of cases.~Stenting may induce endothelial damage/dysfunction and inflammatory reactions, which in turn delay healing and endothelialization and may lead to restenosis and atherosclerosis within the stented segments.~The sedative and antinausea drug thalidomide has been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and antioncogenic properties that could be of benefit in case of PCI with stenting.