title: Association of body mass index with coronary plaque regression: 6-month prospective study.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Nihon University Surugadai Hospital, Tokyo 101-8309, Japan. tanishigem@yahoo.co.jp
authors: Shigemasa
authors: S
authors: Tani
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Nagao
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Anazawa
authors: Hirofumi
authors: H
authors: Kawamata
authors: Shingo
authors: S
authors: Furuya
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Takahashi
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Iida
authors: Michiaki
authors: M
authors: Matsumoto
authors: Takahiko
authors: T
authors: Washio
authors: Narimichi
authors: N
authors: Kumabe
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Hirayama
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D017035:Pravastatin