Atorvastatin and Aortic Stiffness During Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy

Does 12 months of treatment with atorvastatin mitigate anthracycline-associated increased aortic stiffness, an important factor associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes?In this secondary analysis of 300 participants with lymphoma enrolled in the STOP-CA (Statins to Prevent the Cardiotoxicity From Anthracyclines) randomized clinical trial, atorvastatin was associated with significantly lower odds of an increase (≥0.8 m per second) in magnetic resonance imaging–derived aortic arch pulse wave velocity, compared with placebo. The proportion of participants meeting this primary exploratory end point was significantly lower with atorvastatin (5%), compared with placebo (50%).These findings suggest that pretreatment with atorvastatin is associated with preserved vascular function in patients undergoing anthracycline treatment.

Corresponding Author: Vencel Juhasz, MD, Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 165 Cambridge St, Ste 400, Boston, MA 02114 (vjuhasz@mgh.harvard.edu).

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