Efficacy of early intensive rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (ROSEMARY Study)

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether early high-dose potent statin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention can reduce infarct size compared with conventional low-dose statin therapy. In a randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial, 185 patients were assigned either to an early high-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 92, rosuvastatin 40 mg before treatment plus maintenance for 7 days) or to a conventional low-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 93, placebo before treatment plus rosuvastatin 10-mg maintenance for 7 days). Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed during the acute (3 to 7 days) and chronic (3 months) phases. The primary end point was relative infarct volume assessed by MRI at 3 months. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups, except hypertension, which was more prevalent in the high-dose group. Serial MRI data were available for 121 patients (high-dose group n = 54 and low-dose group n = 67). The relative infarct volumes in the acute (23.0 ± 9.5% vs 20.5 ± 11.7%, p = 0.208) and chronic (15.9 ± 8.3% vs 15.8 ± 9.7%, p = 0.943) phases were not different between the groups. No differences between groups were observed for periprocedural microvascular circulation evaluated by Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade, myocardial blush grade, ST-segment resolution, microvascular obstruction on cardiac MRI, or clinical outcomes. In conclusion, early high-dose rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention did not improve periprocedural myocardial perfusion or reduce infarct volume measured by MRI compared with the conventional low-dose rosuvastatin regimen.