Key result
In women with breast cancer receiving anthracyclines, ramipril did not significantly reduce the incidence of LVEF decrease >10% compared to control (6.3% vs 18.5%, P=0.15).
Why the study?
Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is a major long-term side effect in cancer survivors, making prevention strategies important, and whether ramipril protects against early-onset cardiotoxicity in breast cancer required evaluation.
Does ramipril prevent anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in women with low-risk breast cancer receiving adjuvant anthracyclines?
RCT (n=96)
Open-label
randomized
Does ramipril prevent anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in women with low-risk breast cancer receiving adjuvant anthracyclines?
Absolute Event Rate: 6.3% vs 18.5%
p-value: p=0.15
In women with breast cancer receiving anthracyclines, 1-year treatment with ramipril attenuated NT-proBNP elevation but did not significantly reduce LVEF decline.
Ramipril attenuated NT-proBNP rise without preventing LVEF decline; leaves open its role in anthracycline cardiotoxicity prevention.
BACKGROUND: Anthracycline‑induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) remains the main long‑term irreversible side effect in malignancy survivors. Cardiotoxicity prevention is one of the most reasonable approaches. AIMS: In this prospective randomized open‑label study, we aimed to verify whether ramipril protects from early‑onset AIC in women with breast cancer (BC). METHODS: We analyzed data from 96 women (median age, 47 years) with BC after breast surgery, without significant cardiovascular diseases, who were eligible for adjuvant anthracyclines. They were randomized to a ramipril or control arm. Cardiotoxicity was estimated with repeat echocardiography and themeasurement of troponin I and N‑terminal fragment of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT‑proBNP) levels over 1‑year follow‑up. Anthracycline‑induced cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), elevated biomarker levels, and/or occurrence of heart failure (HF) or cardiac death. RESULTS: A decrease in LVEF above 10‑percent points occurred in 6.3% of ramipril patients and 18.5% ofcontrols (P = 0.15). No cases of HF, cardiac death, or LVEF decline below 50% were reported. The percentage of patients with elevated NT‑proBNP levels increased with time in controls (P = 0.003) and remained unchanged in the ramipril arm. At the end of follow‑up, an increase in NT‑proBNP levels was more common and decline was less common in the control than ramipril arm (P = 0.01). No significant differences in troponin levels were found between the study arms. Ramipril was well tolerated in normotensive women. CONCLUSIONS: In relatively young women with BC without serious comorbidities, who received anthracyclines, 1‑year treatment with ramipril exerts potentially protective effects on cardiotoxicity assessed with NT‑proBNP levels.
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Słowik et al. (2020) conducted an RCT in Breast cancer (n=96). Ramipril vs. Control was evaluated on Decrease in LVEF above 10-percent points (p=0.15). In women with breast cancer receiving anthracyclines, ramipril did not significantly reduce the incidence of LVEF decrease >10% compared to control (6.3% vs 18.5%, P=0.15).
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