Abstract:

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has significantly improved myocardial perfusion and clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic heart diseases in recent years. Adverse cardiac events after PCI continue to be problematic despite advances in stent design and adjunctive pharmacotherapy. Endothelial regeneration is a key component of an effective response to vascular injury associated with PCI. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) recently emerged as an important component of response to vascular injury, having the potential to accelerate vascular repair through rapid reendothelialization. The roles of circulating EPCs in response to vascular injury may serve as effective strategies to enhance vascular repair after PCI. The elucidation of biological characteristics of EPCs and mechanism of EPCs in PCI-associated vascular injury may help to develop an effective treatment modality to manage the complications associated with PCI.

Key words: percutaneous coronary intervention, endothelial progenitor cell, vascular injury, endothelial regeneration