Virtual Histology Findings and Effects of Varying Doses of Atorvastatin Treatment (VENUS)

February 27, 2013 updated by: Prof. Stephen Lee

A Prospective, Double-blinded, Randomised Study to Evaluate the Effects of Different Doses of Statin Treatment on Plaque Volume and Composition in Coronary Disease Determined by Virtual Histology Using Intravascular Ultrasound

While statin treatment may induce plaque regression, the effect of statin on plaque composition with varying doses is unknown. This study assessed such effects by volumetric virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS).

In this prospective, randomized, double-blinded pilot study, statin-naïve patients with stable angina requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were randomized to receive 6 months of either atorvastatin 10mg or 40 mg daily. VH-IVUS was performed in all non-PCI lesions at baseline and 6 months; all analyses were performed by core laboratory.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Statin therapy, especially at intensive doses, is beneficial in atherosclerotic coronary disease. Detecting subtle plaque regression after statin therapy is difficult by coronary angiogram; intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a far better method. Volumetric IVUS has been used in statin trials to evaluate plaque regression. Intensive statin therapy in the REVERSAL Trial and ASTEROID Trial appeared to achieve better regression outcomes. Stable fibrous plaque is likely to be responsible for stable ischemia, while unstable plaque (large lipid core, calcified nodule and necrotic core), thin-cap fibroatheroma, plaque erosion and plaque rupture may be responsible for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In vivo tissue characterization of plaque composition is therefore important, yet in this regard grayscale IVUS is insufficient. The development of Virtual Histology (VH) utilizing IVUS generated radiofrequency backscattering signals to virtually separate plaque composition into 4 components corresponding to histopathology has made possible in vivo assessment of plaque composition and stability. We believed plaque regression and VH-IVUS plaque modification with statin therapy could be statin dose dependent, and may affect clinical outcomes. This study was designed to prove our hypothesis, utilizing VH-IVUS.

This study is the first prospective, randomised, double-blinded pilot study designed to investigate the varying statin dose effects on plaque regression and VH composition modulation. For ethical reasons, a placebo arm was not designed. Based on available data, clinically realistic doses of atorvastatin 10mg (low dose) and 40mg (moderate dose) were chosen. Only statin-naïve patients without previous history of myocardial infarction (MI) would be selected, aiming to show the "pure" effects of varying doses of statin and to better reveal the subtle differences in the changes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

40

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Hong Kong
      • Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong, China
        • Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hospital Authority

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient aged 18 to 85 (not pregnant) requiring percutaneous intervention to coronary stenosis.
  • Statin naive patient.
  • No history of myocardial infarction. Angina free for at least 8 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any history of previous statin treatment and myocardial infarction
  • Current acute coronary syndrome or in cardiogenic shock
  • Surgical bypass candidate
  • Chronic total occlusion and very tortuous calcified arteries precluding safe IVUS examination.
  • Patient refused to give written informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Atorvastatin 10mg low dose
Atorvastatin 10mg daily for 6 months and compared to atorvastatin 40mg daily in the other arm. The primary endpoint of 6 months VH-IVUS findings and clinical outcomes would be monitored and compared.
2 arms comparing atorvastatin 10mg daily for 6 months to atorvastatin 40mg daily for 6 months. The primary endpoint would be the 6 months VH-IVUS findings and clinical outcomes.
Other Names:
  • Lipitor 10mg versus 40mg daily for 6 months.
Active Comparator: Atorvastatin 40mg moderate dose
Atorvastatin 40mg daily for 6 months and compared to atorvastatin 10mg daily in the other arm. The primary endpoint of 6 months VH-IVUS findings and clinical outcomes would be monitored and compared.
2 arms comparing atorvastatin 10mg daily for 6 months to atorvastatin 40mg daily for 6 months. The primary endpoint would be the 6 months VH-IVUS findings and clinical outcomes.
Other Names:
  • Lipitor 10mg versus 40mg daily for 6 months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The primary endpoint would be the 6-month angiographic and VH-IVUS restudy findings.
Time Frame: 6 months
Our hypothesis was plaque regression and virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) plaque modification with statin therapy could be statin dose dependent, and may affect clinical outcomes. 2 clinically realistic doses of atorvastatin 10mg and 40mg were chosen in statin-naïve patients without previous myocardial infarction. The primary endpoint of this study would therefore be the 6 months angiographic and IVUS follow-up, looking at the volumetric gray-scale IVUS and VH-IVUS findings at 6 months for the whole cohort as well as the differences between the 2 groups.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The secondary endpoint would be the occurrence of any major adverse cardiac events at 6 months (including any death, myocardial infarction or need for revascularization) as routinely monitored after all percutaneous interventional procedures.
Time Frame: Throughout the 6 months study period.
As described in the "Title" above.
Throughout the 6 months study period.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Prof. Stephen WL LEE, MD FRCP FACC, Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hospital Authority

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2009

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 9, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 10, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

September 13, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 28, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 27, 2013

Last Verified

February 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • UW 07-266 (IRB HKU)
  • HKCTR-517 (Other Identifier: Clinical Trials Centre, HKU (www.HKClinicalTrials.com))

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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