title: Japan assessment of pitavastatin and atorvastatin in acute coronary syndrome (JAPAN-ACS): rationale and design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many trials have shown that 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality. One method of decreasing the incidence of cardiovascular events could be to reduce the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, and a recent study found that atorvastatin can cause coronary plaque to regress. To generalize this finding, using conventional HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors at many Japanese centers, randomized trials of pitavastatin and atorvastatin will be conducted with patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with ACS who have undergone successful percutaneous coronary intervention under intravascular ultrasound guidance will be studied. They will be randomly allocated to pitavastatin or atorvastatin groups and followed up for 8-12 months. The primary endpoint will be the percent change in coronary plaque volume, and secondary endpoints will include absolute changes in coronary plaque volume, serum lipid levels and inflammatory markers. The safety profile will also be evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will examine the ability of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors to regress coronary plaque in Japanese patients with ACS and the findings should help to improve the prognosis of such patients and clarify the involved mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiro
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daida
authors.forename: Masunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012107:Research Design; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D011804:Quinolines; D000069059:Atorvastatin; C108475:pitavastatin