Comparison of Effects of Atorvastatin (20 mg) Versus Rosuvastatin (10 mg) Therapy on Mild Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaques (from the ARTMAP Trial)

High-dose rosuvastatin induces regression of coronary atherosclerosis, but it remains uncertain whether usual-dose statin has similar effects. We compared the effects of atorvastatin 20 mg/day versus rosuvastatin 10 mg/day on mild coronary atherosclerotic plaques (20% to 50% luminal narrowing and lesion length >10 mm) using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Three hundred fifty statin-naive patients with mild coronary atherosclerotic plaques were randomized to receive atorvastatin 20 mg/day or rosuvastatin 10 mg/day. IVUS examinations were performed at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Primary end point was percent change in total atheroma volume (TAV) defined as (TAV at 6 months TAV at baseline)/(TAV at baseline) x 100. Evaluable IVUS was obtained for 271 patients (atorvastatin in 143, rosuvastatin in 128). Clinical characteristics, lipid levels, and IVUS measurements at baseline were similar between the 2 groups. At 6-month follow-up, percent change in TAV was significantly less in the atorvastatin group than in the rosuvastatin group (-3.9 +/- 11.9% vs -7.4 +/- 10.6%, respectively, p = 0.018). In contrast, change in percent atheroma volume was not different between the 2 groups (-0.3 +/- 4.2 vs -1.1 +/- 3.5, respectively, p = 0.157). Compared to baseline, TAV and TAV at the most diseased 10-mm subsegment were significantly decreased in the 2 groups (p <0.001). Changes in lipid profiles at 6-month follow-up were similar between the 2 groups. In conclusion, usual doses of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin induced significant regression of coronary atherosclerosis in statin-naive patients, with a greater decrease in favor of rosuvastatin. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Am J Cardiol 2012;109: 1700-1704)