Early statin treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome: demonstration of the beneficial effect on atherosclerotic lesions by serial volumetric intravascular ultrasound analysis during half a year after coronary event: the ESTABLISH Study.
BACKGROUND
Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that aggressive lipid lowering by statins could prevent recurrent events after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We hypothesized that this efficacy was caused by a significant reduction in plaque volume by aggressive LDL cholesterol (LCL-C) lowering. The present study investigated the effect of early statin treatment on plaque volume of a nonculprit lesion by serial volumetric intravascular ultrasound in patients with ACS.


RESULTS
Seventy patients with ACS were enrolled. All patients underwent emergency coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). They were randomized to intensive lipid-lowering therapy (n=35; atorvastatin 20 mg/d) or control (n=35) groups after PCI. Volumetric intravascular ultrasound analyses were performed at baseline and 6-month follow-up for a non-PCI site in 48 patients (atorvastatin, n=24; control, n=24). LDL-C level was significantly decreased by 41.7% in the atorvastatin group compared with the control group, in which LDL-C was increased by 0.7% (P<0.0001). Plaque volume was significantly reduced in the atorvastatin group (13.1+/-12.8% decrease) compared with the control group (8.7+/-14.9% increase; P<0.0001). Percent change in plaque volume showed a significant positive correlation with follow-up LDL-C level (R=0.456, P=0.0011) and percent LDL-C reduction (R=0.612, P<0.0001), even in patients with baseline LDL-C <125 mg/dL.


CONCLUSIONS
Early aggressive lipid-lowering therapy by atorvastatin for 6 months significantly reduced the plaque volume in patients with ACS. Percent change in plaque volume showed a significant positive correlation with percent LDL-C reduction, even in patients with low baseline LDL-C.
Department of Cardiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421 Japan. shinya@med.juntendo.ac.jp
Shinya
S
Okazaki
Takayuki
T
Yokoyama
Katsumi
K
Miyauchi
Kazunori
K
Shimada
Takeshi
T
Kurata
Hitoshi
H
Sato
Hiroyuki
H
Daida
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D000077407:Cilostazol; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
D000925:Anticoagulants; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D013777:Tetrazoles; D006493:Heparin; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D000077407:Cilostazol; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin