Association of body mass index with coronary plaque regression: 6-month prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is a well known strong risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We prospectively investigated the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the inhibitory effects of pravastatin against the development of coronary atherosclerosis.


METHODS
In 56 patients with stable CAD, 3-dimensional intravascular ultrasound was performed in matched coronary segments at the baseline and after 6-month treatment with pravastatin.


RESULTS
The plaque volume was significantly reduced by 11% after treatment (p<0.001 vs. baseline). The percent plaque volume was positively correlated with the baseline BMI (r=0.37, p<0.001), and negatively correlated with the serum total cholesterol / high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (r=0.27, p<0.05) and total leukocyte count (r=0.27, p<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that BMI was an independent predictor of the change in plaque volume (beta coefficient: 0.326; 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.037; p<0.05). No correlations were found between BMI and changes in the serum levels of any other lipids, apolipoproteins, or hs-CRP.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrated that an increase in BMI attenuated pravastatin-induced coronary atherosclerosis regression. The results may provide new insight into the framework for the treatment of obese patients with CAD.
Tani
Shigemasa
S
Department of Cardiology, Nihon University Surugadai Hospital, Tokyo 101-8309, Japan. tanishigem@yahoo.co.jp
Nagao
Ken
K
Anazawa
Takeo
T
Kawamata
Hirofumi
H
Furuya
Shingo
S
Takahashi
Hiroshi
H
Iida
Kiyoshi
K
Matsumoto
Michiaki
M
Washio
Takahiko
T
Kumabe
Narimichi
N
Hirayama
Atsushi
A
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D017035:Pravastatin