title: Angioscopic evaluation of stabilizing effects of an antilipemic agent, bezafibrate, on coronary plaques in patients with coronary artery disease: a multicenter prospective study.
abstract: To evaluate the stabilizing effects of an antilipemic agent, bezafibrate, on coronary plaques, we carried out a prospective angioscopic and angiographic open trial. From April 1997 to December 1998, 24 patients underwent coronary angioscopy of plaques in non-targeted vessels during coronary interventions and then again 6 months later. The patients were divided into control (10 patients, 14 plaques) and bezafibrate (14 patients, 21 plaques) groups. Oral administration of bezafibrate (400 mg/day) was started immediately after the intervention and was continued for 6 months. The vulnerability score was determined based on the angioscopic characteristics of plaques and compared before and 6 months later. Six months later, the vulnerability score was reduced (from 1.6 to 0.8; P<0.05) in the bezafibrate group and unchanged (from 1.4 to 1.3; NS) in the control group. In the bezafibrate group, the changes in the vulnerability score were not correlated with those in % stenosis or minimal lumen diameter. The plasma total cholesterol level (T-C) was unchanged, triglyceride level (TG) was decreased, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL-C) was increased in the bezafibrate group, but were unchanged in the control group. In the bezafibrate group, T-C and TG were decreased and HDL-C was increased in patients with a reduced vulnerability score but were unchanged in those with an unchanged score. These results indicate that 6 month administration of bezafibrate stabilizes coronary plaques and that the stabilization is not correlated with angiographic changes.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center, Sakura Hospital of Toho University School of Medicine, Narita Red Cross Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidefumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Yasumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noike
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokuhiro
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakuragawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hitsumoto
authors.forename: Kaneyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Michihisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaku
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozegawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morio
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terasawa
authors.forename: Yuuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Tomomitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohshima
mesh_terms: D017546:Angioscopy; D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D001629:Bezafibrate