The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of performing a randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of an anti-inflammatory drug, colchicine, at reducing well validated markers of thrombosis (D-dimer) and inflammation (hs-CRP).
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia (with a global burden of 33.5 million affected patients in 2010), is responsible for about 20% of ischemic stroke, a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Anticoagulants are very effective in reducing the risk of stroke in AF but on average 10-15% of treated patients still experience a stroke over a 10-year period and in selected elderly populations the risk is even higher. We hypothesize that thrombosis mediated by inflammation might be responsible for the residual risk of stroke, despite anticoagulant therapy and that targeting inflammation has the potential to reduce thrombosis and the risk of stroke in anticoagulated patients with AF.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
80
Colchicine 0.6mg twice daily
Placebo Colchicine
Hamilton General Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Recruitment rates
Number of eligible patients successfully randomized into study per year of study.
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
Drop-out rates
Proportion of participants withdrawing from study for any reason
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
D-dimer
Mean D-dimer level at baseline and Month 3 for each arm
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
hs-CRP
Mean level of hs-CRP at baseline and month 3 for each arm
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
Proportion of patients with a clinically significant adverse event
Proportion of patients with side effects such as diarrhoea, myopathy requiring drug cessation
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
Drug adherence
Proportion of missing pill to dispensed pill at 6 weeks and month 3
Time frame: Randomization to Month 3
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.