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CompletedNCT01200056VENUSUpdated Feb 28, 2013

Virtual Histology Findings and Effects of Varying Doses of Atorvastatin Treatment

A Phase 4 interventional study of Atorvastatin 10mg versus 40mg. in Coronary Disease, Ultrasonography, Interventional and Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, sponsored by Prof. Stephen Lee. Completed at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-02-28.

Sponsored by Prof. Stephen Lee · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

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.

Read the 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.

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Conditions studied

  • Coronary Disease
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

Keywords

  • Volumetric virtual histology intravascular ultrasound.
  • Statin-naive patient.
  • Varying doses atorvastatin.
  • Clinical outcomes.
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In context

Coronary Disease

2,839 studies on the registry are indexed under Coronary Disease; 311 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 124 across 1,583 interventional studies indexed under Coronary Disease.

Browse Coronary Disease studies →

Lead sponsor

Prof. Stephen Lee is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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

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.
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Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • 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.

    Drug: Atorvastatin 10mg versus 40mg.

  • 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.

    Drug: Atorvastatin 10mg versus 40mg.

Interventions

  • DrugAtorvastatin 10mg versus 40mg.

    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.

    Also known as: Lipitor 10mg versus 40mg daily for 6 months.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The primary endpoint would be the 6-month angiographic and VH-IVUS restudy findings.

    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.

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. 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.

    As described in the "Title" above.

    Time frame: Throughout the 6 months study period.

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Study locations

1 site
  • Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hospital Authority
    Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong, China
08

References and documents

Publications

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  • Nissen SE. Application of intravascular ultrasound to characterize coronary artery disease and assess the progression or regression of atherosclerosis. Am J Cardiol. 2002 Feb 21;89(4A):24B-31B. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(02)02217-8. PubMed 11879665 ↗
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  • Schartl M, Bocksch W, Koschyk DH, Voelker W, Karsch KR, Kreuzer J, Hausmann D, Beckmann S, Gross M. Use of intravascular ultrasound to compare effects of different strategies of lipid-lowering therapy on plaque volume and composition in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 2001 Jul 24;104(4):387-92. doi: 10.1161/hc2901.093188. PubMed 11468198 ↗
  • Jensen LO, Thayssen P, Pedersen KE, Stender S, Haghfelt T. Regression of coronary atherosclerosis by simvastatin: a serial intravascular ultrasound study. Circulation. 2004 Jul 20;110(3):265-70. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000135215.75876.41. Epub 2004 Jul 6. PubMed 15238460 ↗
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  • Watson RJ, McLean CC, Moore MP, Spencer T, Salter DM, Anderson T, Fox KA, McDicken WN. Classification of arterial plaque by spectral analysis of in vitro radio frequency intravascular ultrasound data. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2000 Jan;26(1):73-80. doi: 10.1016/s0301-5629(99)00112-x. PubMed 10687795 ↗
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  • Rodriguez-Granillo GA, Garcia-Garcia HM, Mc Fadden EP, Valgimigli M, Aoki J, de Feyter P, Serruys PW. In vivo intravascular ultrasound-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma detection using ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005 Dec 6;46(11):2038-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2005.07.064. Epub 2005 Nov 9. PubMed 16325038 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 28, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01200056
Lead sponsor
Prof. Stephen Lee
Collaborators
Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Pfizer
Responsible party
Prof. Stephen Lee (Professor and Chief, The University of Hong Kong) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Sep 13, 2010
Start date
Aug 2007
Primary completion
Nov 2009
Completion
Jun 2010
Last update
Feb 28, 2013

Study contacts

Prof. Stephen WL LEE, MD FRCP FACC
principal investigator · Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hospital Authority

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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