Effects of statin treatments on coronary plaques assessed by volumetric virtual histology intravascular ultrasound analysis.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the effects of statin treatments for each component of coronary plaques.


BACKGROUND
Effects of statin treatments on coronary plaques have not been sufficiently evaluated.


METHODS
One hundred patients without significant lesion stenosis underwent baseline and 12-month follow-up virtual histology (VH) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) studies and were treated with statin for 1 year. They were randomized to simvastatin (20 mg/day, n = 50) or rosuvastatin (10 mg/day, n = 50). With VH-IVUS, plaque was characterized as fibrotic, fibrofatty, dense calcium, and necrotic core.


RESULTS
In overall patients, necrotic core volume significantly reduced (15.7 to 13.7 mm(3), p = 0.010) and fibrofatty plaque volume increased (4.3 to 5.5 mm(3), p = 0.006) after statin treatments for 1 year. There were no significant differences of changes in either plaque component volume between simvastatin- and rosuvastatin-treated subgroups. In serial comparisons during 1-year follow-up, simvastatin treatment did not achieve statistically significant changes in fibrofatty plaque (4.1 to 5.1 mm(3), p = 0.131) and necrotic core volume (15.8 to 14.4 mm(3), p = 0.216). However, there was a significant decrease in necrotic core volume (15.5 to 13.0 mm(3), p = 0.015) and an increase in fibrofatty plaque volume (4.5 to 5.9 mm(3), p = 0.017) in the rosuvastatin-treated subgroup.


CONCLUSIONS
Serial volumetric VH-IVUS analysis showed that statin treatments might be associated with significant changes in necrotic core and fibrofatty plaque volume in overall patients. The changes in both plaques' component volume were not statistically different between simvastatin- and rosuvastatin-treated subgroup.
Hong
Myeong-Ki
MK
Division of Cardiology, Yonsei Cardiovascular Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Duk-Woo
DW
Lee
Cheol-Whan
CW
Lee
Seung-Whan
SW
Kim
Young-Hak
YH
Kang
Duk-Hyun
DH
Song
Jae-Kwan
JK
Kim
Jae-Joong
JJ
Park
Seong-Wook
SW
Park
Seung-Jung
SJ
D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014584:User-Computer Interface
D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D019821:Simvastatin