Effect of statin therapy on coronary inflammation assessed by pericoronary adipose tissue computed tomography attenuation
Authors' conclusion
Statin therapy was associated with a reduction in PCATlesion, while no significant change in PCATlesion was observed without statin therapy. If validated in larger studies, PCAT attenuation could potentially be used to monitor the response of the coronary arteries to statins and guide treatment.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing clinically indicated serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), May 2013 to July 2022
- Participants
- 96 patients
- Exposure
- Temporal changes in pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation in patients with and without statin therapy
- Statin-naiven = 34
- Statin-commencedn = 26
- Statin-continuedn = 34
- Outcome
- Change in PCATlesion
- Follow-up
- Median 3.8 years
Methodological detailsconsecutive patients, serial CCTA with identical scan parameters ≥ 12 months apart
- Consecutive patients
- Serial CCTA with identical scan parameters ≥ 12 months apart
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | Value | P |
|---|---|---|
| Statin-commenced | baseline to follow-up −79.4 ± 11.7 to −86.5 ± 10 HU | P < 0.001 |
| Statin-continued | baseline to follow-up −83.5 ± 8.5 to −90.6 ± 8.5 HU | P = 0.001 |
| Statin-naive | baseline to follow-up −84.4 ± 9.7 to −86.6 ± 9.5 | P = 0.1 |
Value
Statin-commencedbaseline to follow-up −79.4 ± 11.7 to −86.5 ± 10 HU
Statin-continuedbaseline to follow-up −83.5 ± 8.5 to −90.6 ± 8.5 HU
Statin-naivebaseline to follow-up −84.4 ± 9.7 to −86.6 ± 9.5
P
Statin-commencedP < 0.001
Statin-continuedP = 0.001
Statin-naiveP = 0.1
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Predictors of percentage change of PCATlesion (multivariate analysis)
- Statin intensity and LDL change independently associated with percentage change of PCATlesion, after correcting for cardiovascular risk factors, changes in body weight, and coronary artery calcium score
Baseline characteristics
- Age
- 57 ± 11 years
- Male
- 60%
- Dyslipidaemia (statin-naive vs. statin-commenced vs. statin-continued)
- 25.0% vs. 34.6% vs. 64.7%, P < 0.01 for trend
- No significant difference between groups for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors
Original publication
Effect of statin therapy on coronary inflammation assessed by pericoronary adipose tissue computed tomography attenuation. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. Published 3 March 2025. doi:10.
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