title: [Effects of statin intervention on mild coronary plaque progression assessed by serial coronary CT angiography].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of statin treatment on mild coronary plaque progression by serial coronary CT angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 120 consecutive patients (74 men, ages(58.9±8.1)years) with mild (≤50%luminal narrowing and lesion length<20 mm) non-calcified plaque detected by coronary CT angiography during September 2012 and December 2013 were prospectively enrolled in this study.Subjects were divided into three groups: no statin (n=36), statin lowering LDL-C <50% (n=43), and statin lowering LDL-C ≥50%(n=41). Serial scans were performed after a median interval of 705 (interquartile range: 467, 803) days.Total plaque volume, percent plaque volume for both baseline and follow-up were measured.Baseline and follow-up data were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with baseline, total plaque volume in no statin group showed increasing trend by the end of follow-up ((97.3±57.8) mm(3) vs. (82.2±57.7) mm(3,) P=0.075). However, no significant change was observed as for total plaque volume ((78.5±45.2) mm(3) vs.(77.6±50.5) mm(3), P=0.910) in the statin lowering LDL-C <50% group.Total plaque volume was significantly reduced by the end of follow-up ((61.5 ± 46.1) mm(3) vs.(77.7±48.1) mm(3), P=0.024) in the statin lowering LDL-C ≥50% group.Percent plaque volume in no statin group was significantly increased by the end of follow-up ((51.9±16.5)% vs.(45.9±12.8)%, P=0.036). However, no significant change was observed as for percent plaque volume ((49.1±13.7)% vs.(47.5±14.9)%, P=0.554) in the statin lowering LDL-C <50% group. Percent plaque volume was significantly reduced by the end of follow-up ((39.1±17.1)% vs.(48.2±15.0)%, P=0.003) in the statin lowering LDL-C ≥50% group. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that both higher baseline total plaque volume(β=-0.50, P<0.001) and statin lowering LDL-C ≥50%(β=-0.32, P=0.001) were independent determinants of plaque regression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that LDL-C reduction ≥50% post statin treatment can retard plaque progression, and even induce regression of mild non-calcified coronary plaque, patients with greater baseline coronary plaque volume are more likely to benefit from statin therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
authors.forename: Z N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lyu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors