Early experience with intravascular ultrasound in evaluating the effect ofstatins on femoropopliteal arterial disease: Hypothesis-generating observations in humans

The purpose of this study was to compare the vascular response seen with in travascular ultrasound (IVUS) at 1-year follow-up between statin-treated an d non-statin-treated patients. Patients (n = 10) undergoing percutaneous tr ansluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the femoropopliteal artery were studied wit h IVUS immediately after PTA and at 1-year follow-up. In nondilated matched vascular segments, the change in lumen, vessel, and plaque volume was asse ssed. In balloon-dilated matched vascular segments, the change in lumen, ve ssel, and plaque area was assessed. A comparison was made between statin-tr eated (n = 5) and non-statin-treated patients (n = 5) in lumen, vessel, and plaque changes. At follow-up, both statin-treated and non-statin-treated p atients showed a similar increase in plaque volume at the nondilated segmen t (+4% and +2%,respectively). In statin-treated patients the plaque volume increase was compensated by an increase in vessel volume (+2%), resulting i n an increase in lumen volume (+1%). In non-statin-treated patients, on the other hand, the increase in plaque volume was associated with a decrease i n vessel volume (-2%), resulting in a decrease in lumen volume (-4%). At th e baboon-dilated segment a similar trend in changes of lumen, vessel, and p laque was encountered. Differences between both groups of patients were not statistically significant. Despite the nonsignificant nature of the observ ation, this small retrospective IVUS study may generate the hypothesis that statin therapy may contribute to superior long-term lumen dimensions by in ducing positive vascular remodeling both in nondilated and balloon-dilated vascular segments.