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Abstract & Commentary
By Michael H. Crawford, MD
Source: Ballantyne, CM et al. Effect of rosuvastatin therapy on coronary artery stenoses assessed by quantitative coronary angiography. Circulation . 2008;117:2458-2466.
A study to evaluate the effect of rosuvastatin on intravascular ultrasound derived coronary atheroma burden (ASTEROID) was designed to assess the effects of rosuvastatin monotherapy on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients undergoing catheterization. The primary end point was plaque volume, as determined by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), the beneficial results of which have already been reported. Rosuvastatin showed regression of all IVUS measures of atheroma volume. The current report reveals the results of the secondary end point of quantitative coronary artery (QCA) luminal measurements. ASTEROID was a multicentered, open-label trial of the effect of rosuvastatin 40 mg daily for 24 months on lumen percent diameter stenosis and minimal lumen diameter (MLD) in 507 patients. Angiography was performed before and after the study period in 75% of the patients, and of these, 77% had lesions with > 25% stenoses that could be matched on the two angiograms. A total of 292 patients with 613 matched segments represented the final study group. Rosuvastatin decreased the baseline LDL cholesterol of 132mg/dL by 53% and increased the baseline HDL cholesterol of 43 by 14%. Mean percent diameter stenosis...