title: Effects of ezetimibe and anticoagulant combined therapy on progressing stroke: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.
abstract: Despite the high prevalence of progressing stroke in patients with acute stroke, preventative treatments are still the unmet needs for those patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate, prospectively, the efficacy and safety of ezetimibe in the prevention of acute progressing stroke and thereby the improvement of patient outcome. A total of 423 patients (267 men and 156 women with a mean age of 65.2 years) were randomly assigned to receive ezetimibe (10 mg daily oral administration, n = 209) or placebo (n = 214) for 14 consecutive days. Analytical procedures performed at baseline (i.e., day 1) and 14 days after the treatments were completed. These included a real-time three-dimensional ultrasound (RT-3DU) examination for carotid plaque volume, clinical laboratory analyses of serum levels of IL-6 and MMP-9, as well as lipid parameters and liver dysfunction marker ALT and TBIL. Ezetimibe significantly reduced the average NIHSS score after 14 days of treatment and attenuated the stroke progression rate, which was associated with reduction in carotid plaque volume and attenuation of serum levels of IL-6, MMP-9, and LDL, without inducing liver dysfunction. Ezetimibe treatment may be a beneficial and effective strategy for preventing progressing stroke.
authors.affiliation: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Quyang County People's Hospital, Quyang, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China. wangxiaopengd123@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D000069438:Ezetimibe / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002784:Cholesterol; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D000069438:Ezetimibe
keywords: Carotid plaque; Ezetimibe; Interleukin-6; Matrix metallopeptidase 9; Progressing stroke; Real-time three-dimensional ultrasound