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To the Editor: In reporting the results of the ASTEROID trial, Dr Nissen and colleagues¹ provide important information about the efficacy of intensive statin therapy with rosuvastatin on atherosclerosis. Two processes occur during atherosclerosis progression: increase in atheroma (which can be measured by average cross-sectional atheroma area in the evaluated segment) and compensatory enlargement of vessel size (which can be measured by average cross-sectional external elastic membrane [EEM] area in the evaluated segment). Both of these values should be provided, as well as the length of the evaluated segment, to be able to compare the results with other studies and to better understand the meaning of the intravascular ultrasound evaluation (including the size and disease severity of the evaluated vessels).

The change in normalized total atheroma volume, reported as the secondary efficacy outcome, cannot be compared with other studies unless the normalization factor (median length of evaluated segment) is provided. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Yoseph Rozenman, MSc, MD
rozenman@wolfson.health.gov.il
The Edith Wolfson Medical Center
Tel-Aviv University
Holon, Israel

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