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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2026.
World J Cardiol. Jan 26, 2026; 18(1): 108975
Published online Jan 26, 2026. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v18.i1.108975
Table 1 Clinical research on drug - coated balloon angioplasty for coronary small vessel disease
Trial
Intervention
Primary end point
Secondary end point
Follow-up time
TLR/TVR
MACE
LLL
RCT; RVD: < 3.0[9], 2024DCB: 1133; DES: 1139A DoCE (a composite of cardiovascular death, TV-MI, and CPI-TLR)The rates of DoCE at 1 month and 12 months; rates of the individual components of the DoCE (i.e., cardiovascular death, TV-MI, CPI-TLR)2 yearsCPI-TLR: DCB vs DES; 3.1% vs 1.2%; P = 0.0021. CPI-TVR: DCB vs DES; 3.3% vs 1.6%, P = 0.0084At 24 months, the DoCE occurred in 72 (6.4%) in the DCB group and 38 (3.4%) in the DES groupNR
RCT; RVD: 2-2.75[55], 2023DCB: 118; DES: 114The angiographic in-lesion LLLAngiographic success and the absence of in-hospital cardiovascular complications, and MACEs, a composite of cardiac death, all MIs, TLR, and the individual components of MACEs at 1 year and 3 years3 yearsDCB vs DES; 8.8% vs 14.8%; P = 0.18MACE: PCB vs PES; 10.8% vs 20.8%The DCB vs the DES in terms of in-lesion LLL (0.04 ± 0.28 mm vs 0.17 ± 0.39 mm)
RCT; RVD ≤ 2.8[57], 2020PCB: 90; POBA: 45TVFTLR and LLL2 yearsNo significant difference in TVFNRThe PCB vs the POBA in terms of in-lesion LLL (0.01 ± 0.31 mm vs 0.32 ± 0.34 mm)
RCT; RVD < 3[58], 2022DCB: 546; DES: 212MACEsAll-cause death, probable or definite stent thrombosis3 years1 year: No significant difference between DCB and DES; 3 years: Similar major adverse cardiac event ratesThe consistently lower rates of MACE and its components in DCBNR
RCT; RVD < 2.8[59], 2025PCB: 90; PES: 92Angiographic in-stent (or in-balloon) late lumen loss at follow-up angiography at 6 monthsMACE3 years1100 days; TLR: PCB vs PES; 6.7% vs 13%, P = 0.14; TVR: PCB vs PES; 3.3% vs 6.5%, P = 0.321100 days; MACE: PCB vs PES; 14.4% vs 30.4%, P = 0.015NR
Table 2  Clinical research on drug-coated balloon angioplasty for coronary large vessel disease
Trial
Intervention
Primary end point
Secondary end point
Follow-up time
TLR/TVR
MACE
LLL
DAPT
RCT; RVD: 3.08 ± 0.48[65], 2016DCB: 27; DES: 33TLR; LLLNR8-month8-month, TLR: DCB vs DES 0% vs 6.1%, P = 0.193; TVR: NR8-month, MACE: None of the patients in the LVD; group experienced MACE8-month, LLL: DCB vs DES; 0.25 ± 0.25 mm vs 0.37 ± 0.40 mm, P = 0.185NR
RCT; RVD: > 3.0[12], 2023DCB: 544; DES: 693All-cause mortalityCardiovascular mortality, ACS, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, major bleeding and TLRMedian follow-up: DCB: 3.7 years DES: 3.6 yearsDCB-only strategy has no increased all-cause mortality or any other major cardiovascular endpoints, including unplanned TLR, compared to DESDCB-only angioplastyis safe compared to DES as part of routine clinical practice, in terms of all-cause mortality and MACENRNR
RCT; RVD: 2.5-4.0[66], 2022DCB: 108; DES: 108TLRMACE, cardiac death, TVMI, and vessel thrombosis2 years24-month, TLR: DCB vs DES 4.9% vs 16.33%, P = 0.008; TVR: NR24-month, MACE: DCB vs DES 7.84% vs 19.39%, P = 0.01718NRNR
SCRS; RVD: ≥ 2.8[67], 2019LVD: 200; SVD: 327The efficacy and safety of DCB in the treatment of de novo lesions in large blood vesselsIndices related to the complexity of lesion preparation; LLL, TLRMean follow-up duration was 10.1 months10.1-month, TLR/TVR: LVD vs SVD; 0% vs 0.30%10.1-month, MACE: LVD vs SVD; 0% vs 1.40%10.1-month, LLL: LVD vs SVD-0.17 ± 0.62 mm vs -0.17 ± 0.43 mm, P = 0.993DCB-only therapy without stenting confers; the additional advantage of safety without the need for prolonged; DAPT
SCRS; RVD: > 2.75[68], 2024DCB: 708; DES: 704CD-TLRAll-cause mortality, major bleeding, MACE24 monthsCD-TLR: DCB vs DES: 5.5% vs 3.1%, P = 0.028MACE: DCB vs DES: 7.6% vs 5.7%, P = 0.143NRNR
SCRS; RVD: > 2.75[69], 2023PCB: 73; DES: 81TLFAngiographic restenosisPCB: 1536 ± 538 days; DES: 1344 days ± 606 daysTLF: PCB vs DES; 6.8% vs 14.6%, P = 0.097NRNRNR