title: Implications from the Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study for the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines.
abstract: The Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS/TexCAPS) first reported its results in 1998, before the 2001 publication of the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (NCEP-ATP III) and 2004 update. Our objective was to investigate the impact of these guidelines on the AFCAPS/TexCAPS cohort. The main outcome measures were the event rates of first acute major coronary events (AMCEs), which were reduced 39% by lovastatin (95% confidence interval [CI] 21% to 53%, p <0.001) in the 65% of the cohort eligible for drug therapy and by 34% (95% CI -9% to 60%, p = 0.108) in the remaining 35% for whom drug therapy was considered optional. The evaluation of other guideline components included a 44% (95% CI 27% to 58%, p <0.001) reduction in AMCEs in subjects with baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dl and a 41% (95% CI 19% to 57%) reduction in AMCEs in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. In the recent update, patients who had a moderately high risk of coronary heart disease and a baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 100 to 130 mg/dl could be considered for therapy with a medication to lower the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level to <100 mg/dl. A total of 334 subjects (5.1%) were in this group, in whom lovastatin reduced the risk of AMCEs by 68% (95% CI 12% to 88%, p = 0.027). However, 21% of the AMCEs were missed by the guidelines. Metabolic syndrome was noted in 48% of these subjects and may help define those in whom treatment with a medication is now considered optional. In conclusion, the ability of the ATP III guidelines and its update has markedly improved our ability to define coronary heart disease risk; however, other components of the guidelines, such as non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the optional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol target goal of <100 mg/dl, still require additional evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. mclearfi@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clearfield
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langendorfer
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McConathy
authors.forename: Antonio M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gotto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008148:Lovastatin