ESCALATE will provide a thorough investigation of how anti-inflammatory therapy, with low-dose colchicine, affects patients with stable coronary artery disease. Using traditional clinical risk factors and multimodality intracoronary imaging, the investigators will identify patients with the greatest clinical risk. Participants will undergo repeat multimodality intracoronary imaging assessment at 6 months to measure the impact once-daily low-dose colchicine therapy on the structure and function of coronary arteries. This study will provide valuable insights into how anti-inflammatory therapies, such as colchicine, may improve outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.
1. Background and study aims Despite recent advances, coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the main cause of death worldwide. CAD occurs when the arteries bringing blood to the heart become narrowed by a build-up of fatty material within their walls. If this occurs gradually, it can cause chest discomfort i.e., angina. In a heart attack, the artery wall becomes inflamed and splits causing blood clot formation and an abrupt blockage of flow, resulting in severe pain and damaged heart muscle. Current treatments focus on reducing cholesterol, slowing the build-up of fatty material, and rapidly restoring blood flow during a heart attack. Chronic inflammation, acting in tandem with other risk factors, has been identified as playing a central role in CAD progression and its acute manifestations. Colchicine is a safe, well-tolerated, anti-inflammatory therapy used in the treatment of gout and other inflammatory conditions. Daily treatment with low-dose colchicine has proven effective in reducing rates of heart attack and death in large clinical trials, but use in routine practice remains low. A contributing factor to this reticence is uncertainty regarding the mechanism through which colchicine provides benefit. This study is designed to address this knowledge gap. 2. Who can participate? Patients aged 18 to 90 years old with coronary artery disease and high clinical risk 3. What does the study involve? Using traditional markers of clinical risk and state-of-the-art imaging from inside the coronary artery, the researchers will identify patients with CAD and the greatest clinical risk. Eligible patients, already established on statin therapy will be allocated to a six-month course of low-dose colchicine plus usual care, or usual care only. Researchers, participants, and usual clinicians will be aware of the allocation during the study. After 6 months, the researchers will assess the impact of colchicine on the appearance of individual coronary artery lesions, blood flow in the large and small blood vessels of the heart. This study will provide a detailed assessment of colchicine and its mechanism of action in CAD.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
50
Low dose daily colchicine
Absolute change in minimal fibrous cap thickness
The absolute change (µm) in minimal fibrous cap thickness, in a defined arterial region of interest, as assessed by OCT
Time frame: 6months
Major adverse clinical events
Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE): Composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal MI, unplanned revascularisation and ischaemic stroke
Time frame: 6 months
Acute kidney injury
AKI secondary to contrast induced nephropathy
Time frame: 6 months
Major bleeding events (BARC 3-5)
Periprocedural major bleeding events (BARC 3-5)
Time frame: 6 months
Hospitalisation with serious infection
Hospitalisation requiring intravenous antibiotics
Time frame: 6 months
% change in minimal fibrous cap thickness
Percentage change in minimal fibrous cap thickness, as determined by OCT, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
% change in maximal lipid arc
Percentage change in lipid arc, as determined by OCT, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Percentage change in lipid index
Percentage change in lipid index, as determined by OCT, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Absolute change in maximum lipid core burden index in a 4-mm segment (maxLCBI4mm)
Absolute change in maximum lipid core burden index in a 4-mm segment (maxLCBI4mm), as determined by NIRS, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Relative change (%) in maximum lipid core burden index in a 4-mm segment (maxLCBI4mm)
Relative change (%) in maximum lipid core burden index in a 4-mm segment (maxLCBI4mm), as determined by NIRS, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Change in total atheroma volume
Change in percent atheroma volume, as determined by IVUS, in a defined arterial region of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Absolute and percentage change in coronary flow reserve (CFR)
Absolute and percentage change in coronary flow reserve (CFR), measured in artery of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Absolute and percentage change in index of microvascular resistance (IMR)
Absolute and percentage change in index of microvascular resistance (IMR), measured in artery of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Absolute and percentage change in vessel fractional flow reserve (FFR)
Absolute and percentage change in vessel fractional flow reserve (FFR), measured in artery of interest
Time frame: 6 months
Percentage change in high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP)
Percentage change in high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP)
Time frame: 6 months
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