title: Meta-analysis comparing the effects of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin on regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
abstract: Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin both are high-intensity statins. However, which statin is more effective for the reversion of coronary atherosclerotic plaques remains inconclusive. We, therefore, conducted a meta-analysis to provide further evidence for proper statin selection. Pubmed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, Chinese BioMedicine, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were systematically searched for eligible publications. We also manually reviewed the references from all relevant literature for more trials. Only studies that met our predefined inclusion criteria up to March 31, 2015, were enrolled. Five randomized controlled trials, 4 published in English and 1 in Chinese, were finally included in our study with a total of 1,556 participants, of whom 772 were in the rosuvastatin group and 784 in the atorvastatin group. The dose ratios of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin were 1:2 in all included trials. Pooling across the studies demonstrated that compared with atorvastatin, rosuvastatin administration further reduced the total atheroma volume (weighted mean difference [WMD] -1.61 mm(3), 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.70 to -0.52; p = 0.004) and percent atheroma volume (WMD -0.34%, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.03; p = 0.03) and improved the lumen volume more significantly (WMD 2.10 mm(3), 95% CI 0.04 to 4.17; p = 0.046). The comparative regression of plaques was not different across subgroups. In conclusion, rosuvastatin is superior to atorvastatin in the reversion of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Baozhu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jinye
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Huiting
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaotao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Benlei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: wb000813@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yanggan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D000069059:Atorvastatin