Pravastatin and endothelium dependent vasomotion after coronary angioplasty: the PREFACE trial.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase inhibitor pravastatin ameliorates endothelium mediated responses of dilated coronary segments: the PREFACE (pravastatin related effects following angioplasty on coronary endothelium) trial.


METHODS
A double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, multicentre study.


METHODS
Four hospitals in the Netherlands.


METHODS
63 non-smoking, non-hypercholesterolaemic patients scheduled for elective balloon angioplasty (pravastatin 34, placebo 29).


METHODS
The effects of three months of pravastatin treatment (40 mg daily) on endothelium dependent vasomotor function were studied. Balloon angioplasty was undertaken one month after randomisation, and coronary vasomotor function tests using acetylcholine were performed two months after balloon angioplasty. The angiograms were analysed quantitatively.


METHODS
The efficacy measure was the acetylcholine induced change in mean arterial diameter, determined in the dilated segment and in an angiographically normal segment of an adjacent non-manipulated coronary artery.


RESULTS
Increasing acetylcholine doses produced vasoconstriction in the dilated segments (p = 0.004) but not in the normal segments. Pravastatin did not affect the vascular response to acetylcholine in either the dilated segments (p = 0.09) or the non-dilated sites. Endothelium dependent vasomotion in normal segments was correlated with that in dilated segments (r = 0.47, p < 0.001). There were fewer procedure related events in the pravastatin group than in the placebo group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Endothelium dependent vasomotion in normal segments is correlated with that in dilated segments. A significant beneficial effect of pravastatin on endothelial function could not be shown, but in the dilated segments there was a trend towards a beneficial treatment effect in the pravastatin group.
Mulder
H J
HJ
Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Albinusdreef 2, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Netherlands.
Schalij
M J
MJ
Kauer
B
B
Visser
R F
RF
van Dijkman
P R
PR
Jukema
J W
JW
Zwinderman
A H
AH
Bruschke
A V
AV
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000379:methods*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000187:drug effects
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D017035:Pravastatin; D000109:Acetylcholine