Effects of different statins application methods on plaques in patients with coronary atherosclerosis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population

Item	Group I (n = 32)	Group II (n = 39)	Group III (n = 29)	P value
Age (yr)	55.56 ± 9.49	55.03 ± 9.35	58.14 ± 9.56	0.38
Male, %	68.8 (22)	46.2 (18)	14.4 (12)	0.07
Body mass index (kg/m2)	24.66 ± 3.17	25.77 ± 3.49	24.34 ± 2.86	0.15
Smoking, %	40.6 (13)	28.2 (11)	20.7 (6)	0.23
Hypertension, %	50.0 (16)	51.3 (20)	41.4 (12)	0.70
Diabetes, %	21.9 (7)	15.4 (6)	17.2 (5)	0.77
Stroke history, %	3.1 (1)	2.6 (1)	3.4 (1)	0.98
Follow-up period (d)	456.28 ± 27.86	460.08 ± 32.91	460.97 ± 33.61	0.82

Values are expressed as the mean ± SD or % (n).

Table 2 Changes in blood lipids

Item	Group I (n = 32)	Group II (n = 39)	Group III (n = 29)	P value
LDL-C (mmoL/L)
Baseline	2.35 ± 0.67	2.88 ± 1.00	3.17 ± 0.98	0.02
Follow-up	2.72 ± 0.57	2.84 ± 0.71	2.12 ± 0.45	< 0.001
Change	0.41 ± 0.40	-0.04 ± 0.51	-1.05 ± 0.75	< 0.001
HDL-C (mmoL/L)
Baseline	1.16 ± 2.92	1.34 ± 0.99	1.0 ± 0.29	1.37
Follow-up	1.04 ± 0.22	1.33 ± 0.76	1.14 ± 0.22	0.08
Change	-0.12 ± 0.17	-0.01 ± 0.29	0.14 ± 0.19	< 0.001
TC (mmoL/L)
Baseline	3.89 ± 0.73	4.74 ± 1.05	4.56 ± 1.21	0.04
Follow-up	3.99 ± 0.64	4.64 ± 0.77	4.12 ± 0.83	0.002
Change	0.11 ± 0.22	-0.10 ± 0.59	-0.33 ± 0.58	0.011
TG (mmoL/L)
Baseline	1.65 ± 0.87	1.09 ± 0.59	1.44 ± 0.95	0.06
Follow-up	1.65 ± 0.53	1.39 ± 0.41	1.36 ± 0.56	0.08
Change	-0.02 ± 0.89	0.05 ± 1.27	-0.03 ± 0.69	0.94

Values are expressed as the mean ± SD. LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C: High density lipoprotein cholesterol; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides.

Table 3 Medication application

Item	Group I (n = 32)	Group II (n = 39)	Group III (n = 29)	P value
Baseline
Aspirin	34.3 (11)	23.1 (9)	34.5 (10)	0.48
β-receptor blocker	15.6 (5)	7.7 (3)	20.7 (6)	0.30
ACEI/ARB	15.6 (5)	10.3 (4)	10.3 (3)	0.75
CCB	12.5 (4)	17.9 (7)	24.1 (7)	0.50
Statins	9.4 (3)	7.7 (3)	13.8 (4)	0.70
Glucose-lowering treatment	18.8 (6)	7.7 (3)	17.2 (5)	0.32
Follow-up
Aspirin	28.1 (9)	20.5 (8)	34.5 (10)	0.43
β-receptor blocker	12.5 (4)	7.7 (3)	20.7 (6)	0.30
ACEI/ARB	18.8 (6)	12.8 (5)	13.8 (4)	0.77
CCB	12.5 (4)	12.8 (5)	17.2 (5)	0.84
Glucose-lowering treatment	18.8 (6)	10.3 (4)	17.2 (5)	0.55
Types of statins during follow-up				0.27
Atorvastatin	46.9 (15)	51.3 (20)	58.6 (17)
Simvastatin	31.3 (10)	33.3 (13)	27.6 (8)
Pravastatin	3.1 (1)	0 (0)	3.4 (1)
Rosuvastatin	15.6 (5)	12.8 (5)	10.3 (3)
Fluvastatin	3.1 (1)	2.6 (1)	0 (0)

Values are expressed as % (n). ACEI: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: Angiotensin receptor blocker; CCB: Calcium channel blocker.

Table 4 Changes of coronary plaque characteristics

Item	Group I (n = 32)	Group II (n = 39)	Group III (n = 29)	P value
Total number of plaques (n)1	50	56	46
Number of plaques, per person	1.56 ± 0.62	1.43 ± 0.75	1.52 ± 0.79	0.70
Length (mm), per plaque	10.19 ± 5.12	9.97 ± 4.70	8.84 ± 3.73	0.32
Plaque nature				0.94
Non-calcified	54.0 (27)	57.1 (32)	56.5 (26)
Mixed	46.0 (23)	42.9 (24)	43.5 (20)
Lesion number				0.65
Single-vessel	53.1 (17)	64.1 (25)	62.1 (18)
Double-vessel	31.3 (10)	30.8 (12)	27.6 (8)
Triple-vessel/left main	15.6 (5)	5.1 (2)	10.3 (3)
Most severe plaque volume (5 mm), per plaque
Baseline, mm3	8.18 ± 5.82	8.34 ± 5.31	8.03 ± 5.48	0.96
Follow-up, mm3	10.19 ± 5.66	10.38 ± 5.81	6.67 ± 4.99	0.001
Plaque volume change, mm3	2.01 ± 1.02	2.03 ± 1.35	-1.36 ± 1.94	< 0.001
Plaque volume percentage change, %	7.24 ± 4.95	6.98 ± 5.18	-3.48 ± 4.74	< 0.001
Plaque volume, per plaque
Baseline, mm3	14.79 ± 15.11	14.76 ± 11.97	11.28 ± 9.53	0.29
Follow-up, mm3	17.82 ± 16.75	17.41 ± 13.58	9.58 ± 7.95	0.002
Plaque volume change, mm3	3.09 ± 2.93	2.64 ± 3.12	-1.79 ± 3.04	< 0.001
Plaque volume percentage change, %	5.38 ± 6.09	5.05 ± 4.82	-2.04 ± 3.68	< 0.001
CACS2
Baseline	41.22 ± 55.04	45.44 ± 31.82	101.00 ± 210.44	0.40
Follow-up	51.72 ± 65.76	56.78 ± 35.18	114.45 ± 229.93	0.44
CACS change	10.5 ± 11.62	11.22 ± 7.07	13.46 ± 20.12	0.86
CACS percentage change, %	89.32 ± 147.81	35.45 ± 21.79	40.65 ± 46.44	0.35
Baseline RI	0.96 ± 0.30	1.00 ± 0.35	0.96 ± 0.35	0.74
Follow-up RI	1.06 ± 0.35	1.12 ± 0.32	0.97 ± 0.32	0.10

Values are expressed as the mean ± SD or % (n).

¹The total number of plaques includes only non-calcified plaques and mixed plaques.

²Coronary artery calcification score (CACS) assessment includes 38 patients with CACS in the study population (Group I, n = 18; Group II, n = 9; Group III, n = 11). CACS: Coronary artery calcification score; RI: Remodelling index.