Circulation Journal
Online ISSN : 1347-4820
Print ISSN : 1346-9843
ISSN-L : 1346-9843
Ischemic Heart Disease
Effects of the Addition of Eicosapentaenoic Acid to Strong Statin Therapy on Inflammatory Cytokines and Coronary Plaque Components Assessed by Integrated Backscatter Intravascular Ultrasound
Toshiyuki NikiTetsuzo WakatsukiKoji YamaguchiYoshio TaketaniHiroyasu OedukaKenya KusunoseTakayuki IseTakashi IwaseHirotsugu YamadaTakeshi SoekiMasataka Sata
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2016 Volume 80 Issue 2 Pages 450-460

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Abstract

Background:The effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on coronary artery disease have been previously reported; however, those of the addition of EPA to strong statins on coronary plaque components and local inflammatory cytokines are not known.Methods and Results:A total of 95 patients who had been treated with strong statin for at least 6 months were randomized into 2 groups: an EPA group (additional treatment with EPA at 1,800 mg/day, n=48) or a control group (no additional treatment, n=47), for 6 months. The tissue characteristics of target coronary plaque in each patient were analyzed using IB-IVUS before and after treatment. We also measured plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines sampled in the coronary sinus (CS) and peripheral vein.A significant reduction in lipid volume (18.5±1.3 to 15.0±1.5 mm3, P=0.007) and a significant increase in fibrous volume (22.9±0.8 to 25.6±1.1 mm3, P=0.01) were observed in IB-IVUS image analyses in the EPA group, but no significant changes in the plaque components in the control group. CS levels of pentraxin 3 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were lower after than before treatment with EPA (3.3±2.1 to 2.6±1.2 ng/ml, 120.4±26.2 to 110.2±26.8 pg/ml, P=0.015 and P=0.008, respectively); however, there were no significant changes in those inflammatory cytokines between pre- and post-treatment in the control group.Conclusions:The addition of EPA was associated with reduced lipid volume in coronary plaques and decreased inflammatory cytokines. (Circ J 2016; 80: 450–460)

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© 2016 THE JAPANESE CIRCULATION SOCIETY
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