Cited 145 times since 2009 (9.2 per year) source: EuropePMC Annals of surgery, Volume 249, Issue 6, 1 1 2009, Pages 921-926 Bisoprolol and fluvastatin for the reduction of perioperative cardiac mortality and myocardial infarction in intermediate-risk patients undergoing noncardiovascular surgery: a randomized controlled trial (DECREASE-IV). Dunkelgrun M, Boersma E, Schouten O, Koopman-van Gemert AW, van Poorten F, Bax JJ, Thomson IR, Poldermans D, Dutch Echocardiographic Cardiac Risk Evaluation Applying Stress Echocardiography Study Group
Objective
This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of beta-blockers and statins for the prevention of perioperative cardiovascular events in intermediate-risk patients undergoing noncardiovascular surgery.
Summary background data
Beta-blockers and statins reduce perioperative cardiac events in high-risk patients undergoing vascular surgery by restoring the myocardial oxygen supply/demand balance and/or stabilizing coronary plaques. However, their effects in intermediate-risk patients remained ill-defined.
Methods
In this randomized open-label 2 x 2 factorial design trial 1066 intermediate cardiac risk patients were assigned to bisoprolol, fluvastatin, combination treatment, or control therapy before surgery (median: 34 days). Intermediate risk was defined by an estimated risk of perioperative cardiac death and myocardial infarction (MI) of 1% to 6%, using clinical data and type of surgery. Starting dose of bisoprolol was 2.5 mg daily, titrated to a perioperative heart rate of 50 to 70 beats per minute. Fluvastatin was prescribed in a fixed dose of 80 mg. The primary end point was the composite of 30-day cardiac death and MI. This study is registered in the ISRCTN registry and has the ID number ISRCTN47637497.
Results
Patients randomized to bisoprolol (N = 533) had a lower incidence of perioperative cardiac death and nonfatal MI than those randomized to bisoprolol-control (2.1% vs. 6.0% events; hazard ratios: 0.34; 95% confidence intervals: 0.17-0.67; P = 0.002). Patients randomized to fluvastatin experienced a lower incidence of the end point than those randomized to fluvastatin-control therapy (3.2% vs. 4.9% events; hazard ratios: 0.65; 95% confidence intervals: 0.35-1.10), but statistical significance was not reached (P = 0.17).
Conclusion
Bisoprolol was associated with a significant reduction of 30-day cardiac death and nonfatal MI, while fluvastatin showed a trend for improved outcome.
