Development of femoral atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic patients during treatment with cholestyramine and probucol/placebo: Probucol Quantitative Regression Swedish Trial (PQRST): a status report

Abstract

The Probucol Quantitative Regression Swedish Trial is being performed to investigate the effects of probucol on atherosclerosis in the femoral artery. Probucol is combined with cholestyramine and dietary management in hypercholesterolemic patients, and the effects of atheroma developing in the femoral artery will be followed by a quantitative angiographic technique. A randomly selected control group is also being managed by dietary therapy and cholestyramine, but receives placebo instead of probucol. The treatment time in this double-blind trial is 3 years, and femoral angiography is performed yearly. Detailed lipoprotein and apolipoprotein analysis are performed at monthly intervals. The basic study design is described here, and some results from the open prerandomization phase of the study are presented.