Colchicine in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Inflammation plays a key role in adverse cardiovascular events, leading researchers to investigate colchicine as a potential treatment for myocardial infarction. This multicenter, randomized controlled trial included 7062 patients across 104 centers in 14 countries, testing colchicine versus placebo over a median follow-up of three years. Patients were assessed for a composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned coronary revascularization.

The results showed no significant difference between colchicine and placebo in reducing the primary outcome (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85-1.16; P=0.93). While colchicine lowered C-reactive protein levels (difference, -1.28 mg/L; 95% CI, -1.81 to -0.75), it did not improve cardiovascular survival or reduce recurrent events. The most notable adverse effect was diarrhea, reported in 10.2% of colchicine users versus 6.6% in the placebo group (P<0.001). Serious infections did not differ between groups.

The findings suggest that colchicine does not provide significant benefit in post-myocardial infarction patients, contrasting prior trials that found advantages in broader cardiovascular disease prevention.

Inflammation plays a key role in adverse cardiovascular events, leading researchers to investigate colchicine as a potential treatment for myocardial infarction. This multicenter, randomized controlled trial included 7062 patients across 104 centers in 14 countries, testing colchicine versus placebo over a median follow-up of three years. Patients were assessed for a composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned coronary revascularization.

The results showed no significant difference between colchicine and placebo in reducing the primary outcome (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85-1.16; P=0.93). While colchicine lowered C-reactive protein levels (difference, -1.28 mg/L; 95% CI, -1.81 to -0.75), it did not improve cardiovascular survival or reduce recurrent events. The most notable adverse effect was diarrhea, reported in 10.2% of colchicine users versus 6.6% in the placebo group (P<0.001). Serious infections did not differ between groups.

The findings suggest that colchicine does not provide significant benefit in post-myocardial infarction patients, contrasting prior trials that found advantages in broader cardiovascular disease prevention.