Effect of short-term colchicine treatment on endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2019-04, Vol.281, p.35-39
• Main Authors: Kajikawa, Masato, Higashi, Yukihito, Tomiyama, Hirofumi, Maruhashi, Tatsuya, Kurisu, Satoshi, Kihara, Yasuki, Mutoh, Akiko, Ueda, Shin-ichiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular disease; Colchicine; Colchicine - administration & dosage; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Artery Disease - drug therapy; Coronary Artery Disease - physiopathology; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Endothelial function; Endothelium, Vascular - diagnostic imaging; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - physiology; Female; Gout Suppressants - administration & dosage; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography, Interventional - methods
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.01.054

Inflammation is associated with endothelial dysfunction and plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of cardiovascular diseases. It has been shown that colchicine, an anti-inflammatory drug, improves the cardiovascular outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effect of low-dose colchicine on endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover-within-subject clinical trial. A total of 28 patients with CAD received low-dose colchicine (0.5 mg/day) or a placebo for 7 days with a washout period of at least 14 days. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured after the 7-day treatment with colchicine or the placebo. The serum concentration of hs-CRP was significantly decreased after administration of colchicine compared with that after administration of the placebo [median (interquartile range): 0.04 (0.02–0.08) mg/dL vs. 0.07 (0.04–0.11) mg/dL, P = 0.003], while there was no significant difference in FMD between the treatments [median (interquartile range): 3.1% (1.5–5.3%) vs. 3.3% (1.9–5.2%), P = 0.384]. Colchicine, however, significantly improved FMD in coronary artery disease patients with white blood cell (WBC) counts of ≥7500 WBC/mm3 [median (interquartile range): 3.3% (2.1–6.6%) vs. 2.0% (1.4–3.8%), P = 0.043]. Administration of low-dose colchicine did not improve endothelial function in patients with CAD, but exploratory analysis suggested that endothelial function is significantly improved in patients with leukocyte activation. •This work is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.•The effect of colchicine (0.5 mg/day) on endothelial function was evaluated.•Administration of low-dose colchicine improved endothelial function.•Further studies are needed to assess effects of colchicine on vascular function.