Antihypertensive therapy and regression of coronary artery disease: insights from the Comparison of Amlodipine versus Enalapril to Limit Occurrences of Thrombosis (CAMELOT) and Norvasc for Regression of Manifest Atherosclerotic Lesions by Intravascular Sonographic Evaluation (NORMALISE) trials.
BACKGROUND
In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), therapies designed to prevent clinical events are not always associated with significant reduction in coronary obstruction, as measured by quantitative coronary angiography. We set out to explore the relationship between quantitative coronary angiography parameters, baseline characteristics, and clinical events in a large trial of CAD regression with antihypertensive agents.


RESULTS
Patients randomized to amlodipine, enalapril, or placebo in the CAMELOT trial were followed for 24 months for major ischemic events. Among 431 patients participating in the angiographic and intravascular ultrasound substudy NORMALISE, 298 (99 amlodipine, 96 enalapril, and 103 placebo) had complete angiographic and intravascular ultrasound data. The patients did not differ significantly with respect to baseline characteristics (except for diabetes) or extent of CAD. After 24 months, the change in minimal lumen diameter (MLD) was -0.02 +/- 0.13 for amlodipine, -0.03 +/- 0.12 for enalapril, and -0.03 +/- 0.17 mm for placebo (P = .40). Major ischemic events occurred in 20.2%, 24%, and 25.2%, respectively (P = .68). There was no significant correlation between change in MLD and age, sex, statin therapy, or systolic blood pressure at baseline. The change in MLD did not differ in patients with and without cardiovascular events, regardless of treatment assignment (P = .54). Only the extent of CAD was independently predictive of ischemic events.


CONCLUSIONS
As compared to placebo, amlodipine treatment resulted in fewer ischemic events after 24 months of therapy, but the clinical benefit was not associated with a commensurate improvement in arterial lumen dimensions.
Brener
Sorin J
SJ
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Biostatistics, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. breners@ccf.org
Ivanc
Thomas B
TB
Poliszczuk
Roman
R
Chen
Michael
M
Tuzcu
E Murat
EM
Hu
Tingfei
T
Frid
David J
DJ
Nissen
Steven E
SE
D017311:Amlodipine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004656:Enalapril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D017211:Treatment Failure; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D017311:Amlodipine; D004656:Enalapril