Paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCBs) have become attractive alternative treatment options for patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR); however, the safety and efficacy of PCBs in comparison with those of conventional therapies are less well defined. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically review the efficacy and safety of PCBs for patients with ISR using comparisons with control groups. Electronic databases, such as MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, were searched, and eligible studies that compared PCBs with uncoated balloons (UCBs) or drug-eluting stents (DESs) in patients with ISR were considered. Subgroup analyses were performed with different control groups. Nine studies (1,488 patients, 1,608 lesions) were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with patients who underwent UCB angioplasty, those who underwent PCB angioplasty exhibited a clear superiority in late lumen loss (LLL) [weighted mean difference (WMD), −0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), (−0.59)-(−0.34); P
