Coronary disease & ACSCohort study
Drug-Coated Balloons in the European Registry of Chronic Total Occlusion
- Registry-based observational study
- propensity-score matched
- multicentre
Authors' conclusion
The use of DCBs in CTO recanalization is increasing and is associated with a reduction in the length of stents implanted, as well as a decrease in contrast volume and a lower rate of pericardial tamponade.
Study context
- Population
- CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures in the European Registry of Chronic Total Occlusion (ERCTO), 2016–2023, 184 centresCTO PCIs, 184 centres
- Participants
- 40,449 procedures
- Exposure
- DCB vs no DCB in CTO PCI
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
DCB use frequency
Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) used overall
2,506 (6.2%)
DCB use in 2016
3.4% (n = 185 of 5,498)
DCB use in 2023
14.9% (n = 705 of 4,722)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Drug-eluting stent length · after propensity score matching | DCB mean 44.2 (SD 36.9) mm · 95% CI 42.7-45.7 mm · No DCB mean 58.1 (SD 35.9) mm · 95% CI 56.7-59.5 | P < 0.001 |
| Contrast volume · after propensity score matching | DCB mean 202.4 (SD 109.8) mL · 95% CI 198.1-206.7 mL · No DCB mean 211.6 (SD 123) mL · 95% CI 206.8-216.4 mL | P = 0.005 |
Safety
In-hospital pericardial tamponade
P = 0.006
In-hospital pericardial tamponade
- In-hospital complications infrequent
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Drug-Coated Balloons in the European Registry of Chronic Total Occlusion. JACC Cardiovasc Interv. Published 22 September 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jcin.2025.07.036
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it