To my very untrained eye, this appears to be quite positive.
US6121319: Monoesters of probucol for the treatment of cardiovascular and inflammatory disease
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The New England Journal of Medicine -- August 7, 1997 -- Vol. 337, No. 6
Probucol and Multivitamins in the Prevention of Restenosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Jean-Claude Tardif, Gilles Cote, Jacques Lesperance, Martial Bourassa, Jean Lambert, Serge Doucet, Luc Bilodeau, Stanley Nattel, Pierre de Guise, for the Multivitamins and Probucol Study Group
Abstract
Background. Oxidizing metabolites generated at the site of coronary angioplasty can induce chain reactions that may lead to restenosis. Antioxidants may counter oxidative stress and modify neointimal formation and vascular remodeling. Experimental data and small clinical studies have suggested that antioxidants may prevent restenosis after angioplasty. In a double-blind, randomized trial, we studied whether drugs with antioxidant properties decrease the incidence and severity of restenosis after angioplasty.
Methods. One month before angioplasty, 317 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of four treatments: placebo, probucol (500 mg), multivitamins (30,000 IU of beta carotene, 500 mg of vitamin C, and 700 IU of vitamin E), or both probucol and multivitamins -- all given twice daily. Patients were treated for four weeks before and six months after angioplasty. Patients received an extra 1000 mg of probucol, 2000 IU of vitamin E, both probucol and vitamin E, or placebo 12 hours before angioplasty, according to their treatment assignments. Base-line and follow-up angiograms were interpreted by blinded investigators using a quantitative approach.
Results. The mean (±SD) reduction in luminal diameter six months after angioplasty was 0.12±0.41 mm in the probucol group, 0.22±0.46 mm in the combined-treatment group, 0.33±0.51 mm in the multivitamin group, and 0.38±0.50 mm in the placebo group (P = 0.006 for those receiving vs. those not receiving probucol, and P = 0.70 for those receiving vs. those not receiving vitamins). Restenosis rates per segment were 20.7 percent in the probucol group, 28.9 percent in the combined-treatment group, 40.3 percent in the multivitamin group, and 38.9 percent in the placebo group (P = 0.003 for probucol vs. no probucol). The rates of repeated angioplasty were 11.2 percent, 16.2 percent, 24.4 percent, and 26.6 percent, respectively (P = 0.009 for probucol vs. no probucol).
Conclusions. The antioxidant probucol is effective in reducing the rate of restenosis after balloon coronary angioplasty. (N Engl J Med 1997;337:365-72.)
Source Information
From the Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute (J.-C.T., G.C., J. Lesperance, M.B., S.D., L.B., S.N., P.G.), and the University of Montreal (J. Lambert), Montreal. Address reprint requests to Dr. Cote at the Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Belanger St., Montreal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada.
Participants in the Multivitamins and Probucol (MVP) Study Group are listed in the Appendix.
Appendix
The following participated in the MVP study: Associate Investigators -- D. Bois, R. Bonan, J. Crepeau, M. DeBelder, R. Gallo, D. Gossard, G. Gosselin, M. Joyal, M. Juneau, M. Naruszewich, and J.-F. Tanguay; Quantitative Coronary Angiography Laboratory -- F. Belanger, M.-J. Dussault, and C. Desjardins; Data Coordination -- L. Blain, S. Bujold, M. Caron, J. Chaput, D. Larocque, and A.-M. Poitras; Data Entry and Analysis -- R. Aubut, C. Dupont, F. Harel, and J. Perrault; Study Monitoring -- E.L. Alderman, K.M. Detre, D. Faxon (chairman), and A. Rosen.
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