Prognostic and therapeutic implications of statin and aspirin therapy in individuals with nonobstructive coronary artery disease: results from the CONFIRM (COronary CT Angiography EvaluatioN For Clinical Outcomes: An InteRnational Multicenter registry) registry

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2015 Apr;35(4):981-9. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.114.304351. Epub 2015 Feb 12.

Abstract

Objective: We sought to examine the risk of mortality associated with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and to determine the impact of baseline statin and aspirin use on mortality.

Approach and results: Coronary computed tomographic angiography permits direct visualization of nonobstructive CAD. To date, the prognostic implications of nonobstructive CAD and the potential benefit of directing therapy based on nonobstructive CAD have not been carefully examined. A total of 27 125 consecutive patients who underwent computed tomographic angiography (12 enrolling centers and 6 countries) were prospectively entered into the COronary CT Angiography EvaluatioN For Clinical Outcomes: An InteRnational Multicenter (CONFIRM) registry. Patients, without history of previous CAD or obstructive CAD, for whom baseline statin and aspirin use was available were analyzed. Each coronary segment was classified as normal or nonobstructive CAD (1%-49% stenosis). Patients were followed up for a median of 27.2 months for all-cause mortality. The study comprised 10 418 patients (5712 normal and 4706 with nonobstructive CAD). In multivariable analyses, patients with nonobstructive CAD had a 6% (95% confidence interval, 1%-12%) higher risk of mortality for each additional segment with nonobstructive plaque (P=0.021). Baseline statin use was associated with a reduced risk of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.68; P=0.0003), a benefit that was present for individuals with nonobstructive CAD (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.55; P<0.001) but not for those without plaque (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-1.43; P=0.287). When stratified by National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Program III, no mortality benefit was observed in individuals without plaque. Aspirin use was not associated with mortality benefit, irrespective of the status of plaque.

Conclusions: The presence and extent of nonobstructive CAD predicted mortality. Baseline statin therapy was associated with a significant reduction in mortality for individuals with nonobstructive CAD but not for individuals without CAD.

Clinical trial registration: URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier NCT01443637.

Keywords: aspirin; coronary angiography; coronary atherosclerosis; mortality; prognosis; statin.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Asia
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use*
  • Canada
  • Coronary Angiography / methods*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Artery Disease / drug therapy*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / mortality
  • Coronary Stenosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Stenosis / drug therapy*
  • Coronary Stenosis / mortality
  • Europe
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Primary Prevention / methods*
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Protective Factors
  • Registries
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United States

Substances

  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Aspirin

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01443637