Carotid Plaque Regression After Statin Therapy
Author Information
Author(s): Raymond Q Migrino, Mark Bowers, Leanne Harmann, Robert Prost, John F LaDisa Jr
Primary Institution: Marquette University
Hypothesis
6-month statin treatment in patients with carotid plaque will lead to plaque regression when measured by 3 Tesla CMR but not by IMT.
Conclusion
Six month statin therapy in patients with carotid plaque led to reduced plaque volume by 3T CMR, but ultrasound posterior IMT did not show any change.
Supporting Evidence
- LDL cholesterol decreased from 86 to 74 mg/dL.
- CMR plaque volume decreased by 5.8%.
- Mean IMT was unchanged.
Takeaway
This study found that taking statins for six months can shrink plaque in the arteries, but regular ultrasound tests didn't show any change.
Methodology
Twenty-six subjects with carotid plaque underwent 3T CMR and ultrasound at baseline and after 6 months of statin therapy.
Potential Biases
Variable statin dosing and regimen may limit data interpretation.
Limitations
The sample size is small and the study needs to be validated in a larger series of patients.
Participant Demographics
Mean age 67 years, 7 females, with known carotid plaque and coronary or cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.018
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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