title: Establishing the benefit of statins in low-to-moderate--risk primary prevention: the Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS/TexCAPS).
abstract: AFCAPS/TexCAPS was the first prevention trial of a statin conducted in a low-to-moderate-risk cohort that included men (> or =45 years) and women (> or =55 years) with no evidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. At study entry, LDL-C had to be 130-190 mg/dL and HDL-C < or =45 mg/dL for men and < or =47 mg/dL for women. Participants were randomized to either lovastatin 20-40 mg/day (n=3304) or placebo (n=3301) for a mean follow-up period of 5.2 years. At 1 year, in the lovastatin group TC, LDL-C, and TG were reduced by 18.4%, 25.0%, and 15%, respectively. HDL-C increased by 6.0%. At 5 years, there was a 37% decrease in the relative risk for having a first acute coronary event in the lovastatin versus placebo group. Women showed similar relative risk reduction as men. Older individuals benefited as much as younger ones from lovastatin. Subjects with > or =2 risk factors benefited more from statin than those with <2 risk factors. At baseline, HDL-C but not TC or LDL-C was determined a significant predictor of risk. On treatment, ApoB and ApoA1 were the best predictors. Based on AFCAPS/TexCAPS, a simple heuristic could be that individuals with "age plus one other risk factor" may benefit from statin therapy in primary prevention.
authors.affiliation: Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 445 E 69th St., OH205, New York, NY 10021, USA. amg_editorial@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gotto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C505693:APOA1 protein, human; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D008148:Lovastatin