title: Ineffectiveness of colchicine for the prevention of restenosis after coronary angioplasty.
abstract: Colchicine, an antimitogenic agent, has shown promise in preventing restenosis after coronary angioplasty in experimental animal models. A prospective trial was conducted involving 197 patients randomized in a 2:1 fashion to treatment with oral colchicine, 0.6 mg twice daily (130 patients), or placebo (67 patients) for 6 months after elective coronary angioplasty. Treatment in all patients began between 12 h before angioplasty and 24 h after angioplasty. Compliance monitoring revealed that 96% of all prescribed pills were ingested. Demographic characteristics were similar in colchicine- and placebo-treated groups. A mean of 2.7 lesions/patient were dilated. Side effects resulted in a 6.9% dropout rate in the colchicine-treated patients. Complete quantitative angiographic follow-up was obtained in 145 patients (74%) with 393 dilated lesions. Quantitative angiographic measurements were obtained in two orthogonal views at baseline before angioplasty and immediately and at 6 months after angioplasty. The quantitative mean lumen diameter stenosis before angioplasty was 67% both in the 152 lesions in the placebo-treated group and in the 241 lesions in the colchicine-treated group; this value was reduced to 24% immediately after angioplasty in the lesions in both treatment groups. At the 6-month angiogram, lesions had restenosed to 47% lumen diameter narrowing in the placebo-treated group compared with 46% in the colchicine-treated group (p = NS). Forty-one percent of colchicine-treated patients developed restenosis in at least one lesion compared with 45% of the placebo-treated group (p = NS). In conclusion, colchicine was ineffective for preventing restenosis after coronary angioplasty.
authors.affiliation: Mid America Heart Institute, St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: McCallister
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kuhnlein
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Ligon
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Hartzler
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003078:Colchicine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine