Full Text: The use of statin agents may slow the progression of arterial calcification as well as lower cholesterol level, according to a report in the August 6th rapid access issue of Circulation.

Imaging studies such as electron beam computed tomography that can serially evaluate intra-arterial calcium may allow doctors to monitor the progression of coronary artery calcification, says Stephan Achenbach, M.D., lead author of the study. The current research is the first to prospectively study lipid levels and progression of calcification.

The German team studied 66 patients with known coronary-artery calcification and hyperlipidemia (low-density lipoprotein above 130 mg/dl). All patients underwent computed tomography at baseline and at the end of one year. During the second year, all took cerivastatin.

The investigators found on average that calcification progressed if untreated but that lipid-lowering therapy with cerivastatin slowed that progression. On average, coronary calcium increased only 8.8 percent during the year of statin treatment compared with a 25 percent increase in the year without treatment. Progression of calcification was completely arrested in the population of patients in whom the statin reduced low-density lipoprotein to a level below 100 milligrams per deciliter.

"These values were averages and there is variability to the test," says Achenbach, who is not certain if the findings will change practices. "We need further research to find methods that permit us to assess the efficacy of treatment in one single, individual patient."