The Impact of Statin Intensity on the Early Progression of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

BACKGROUND: Limited research has compared the relative risks and benefits different statins have after heart transplantation (HT). METHOD: We hypothesize that higher statin intensity is associated with a smaller degree of allograft intimal thickening on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) at 1-year post-HT. Allograft intima-media thickness (IMT) on the first annual IVUS was retrospectively compared in patients initiated on a low-intensity statin (pravastatin 20 mg daily) versus moderate-intensity statin (atorvastatin 20 mg daily) post-HT. RESULTS: A total of 172 adult patients were included (2018-2022, n = 86 in each group). At 1 year, the maximal IMT was lower in the moderate-intensity statin group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. The LDL levels at 1 year trended lower with moderate-intensity statin therapy, while the rates of adverse reactions were not statistically different. A multivariate analysis of the logistic regression model showed moderate statin intensity at 12 months was protective, while donor-specific antibodies developed within the first-year posttransplant were associated with IMT ≥ 0.5 mm on the first annual IVUS. CONCLUSION: This study found that using moderate-intensity statin to prevent the early progression was as safe and possibly more effective than low-intensity statin therapy for the prevention of early cardiac allograft vasculopathy.