High- vs. Low-Intensity Statin Therapy and Changes in Coronary Artery Calcification Density after One Year

Background: Statin therapy promotes the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC). Comparing patients on high (HIST) vs. low-to-intermediate intensity statin therapy (LIST), randomized controlled trials with a one-year follow-up failed to document a relevant difference in the Agatston score and CAC volume. We evaluated whether statin intensity modifies CAC density at one year. Methods: We performed a pooled analysis of two randomized-controlled trials (BELLES, EBEAT), comparing the effects of HIST (Atorvastatin 80 mg) vs. LIST (Pravastatin 40 mg, Atorvastatin 10 mg) on CAC measures after one year. The differences in CAC density and its change were compared using the two-sided t-test. Results: Data from 852 patients (66.7% female) with available baseline and follow-up CT were evaluated from both trials. HIST vs. LIST more effectively reduced LDL-cholesterol (annualized change: -45.8 +/- 38.5 vs. -72.9 +/- 46.0 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Mean CAC density increased from 228.8 +/- 35.4 HU to 232.6 +/- 37.0 HU (p < 0.0001) at one-year follow-up. Comparing patients on HIST vs. LIST, CAC density at follow-up (HIST: 231.9 +/- 36.1 HU vs. LIST: 233.3 +/- 37.7 HU, p = 0.59) and its change from baseline (HIST: 4.0 +/- 19.1 HU vs. LIST: 3.6 +/- 19.6 HU, p = 0.73) did not differ. Subgroup analyses, stratifying by LDL reduction (= median: 3.6 +/- 21.9 HU, p = 0.34), Agatston score at baseline (<100: 2.6 +/- 22.5 HU vs. 3.2 +/- 25.6 HU, p = 0.82; >= 100: 4.8 +/- 17.0 HU vs. 3.8 +/- 16.6 HU, p = 0.44, for HIST vs. LIST; respectively), and equal number of lesions in both CT scans (3.7 +/- 20.3 HU vs. 7.0 +/- 22.2 HU, p = 0.24) showed similar results. Conclusion: HIST vs. LIST leads to a higher reduction in cholesterol levels, which does not translate into relevant differences in the change of CAC density at one-year follow-up.

Automated summary

There is no significant difference in the effect of high-intensity statin therapy (HIST) and low-to-intermediate intensity statin therapy (LIST) on coronary artery calcification (CAC) density.