title: Long-term cardiac outcomes in renal transplant recipients receiving fluvastatin: the ALERT extension study.
abstract: Renal transplant recipients (RTR) have an increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. The ALERT study is the first trial to evaluate the effect of statin therapy on cardiac outcomes following renal transplantation. Patients initially randomized to fluvastatin or placebo in the 5-6 year ALERT study were offered open-label fluvastatin XL 80 mg/day in a 2-year extension to the original study. The primary endpoint was time to first major adverse cardiac event (MACE). Of 1787 patients who completed ALERT, 1652 (92%) were followed in the extension. Mean total follow-up was 6.7 years. Mean LDL-cholesterol was 98 mg/dL (2.5 mmol/L) at last follow-up compared to a pre-study level of 159 mg/dL (4.1 mmol/L). Patients randomized to fluvastatin had a reduced risk of MACE (hazards ratio [HR] 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.99, p = 0.036), and a 29% reduction in cardiac death or definite non-fatal MI (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.93, p = 0.014). Total mortality and graft loss did not differ significantly between groups. Fluvastatin produces a safe and effective reduction in LDL-cholesterol associated with reduced risk of MACE in RTR. The lipid-lowering and cardiovascular benefits of fluvastatin are comparable to those of statins in other patient groups, and support use of fluvastatin in RTR.
authors.affiliation: Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. hallvard.holdaas@rikshospitalet.no
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Holdaas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fellström
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grönhagen-Riska
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Neumayer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambühl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Staffler
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Jardine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D008055:Lipids; D000077340:Fluvastatin