AtherosclerosisPhase 4NCT00397657

Comparative Study of the Effect of Ezetimibe Versus Extended-Release Niacin on Atherosclerosis

A Phase 4 study testing extended release niacin and ezetimibe in people with Atherosclerosis, run by Walter Reed Army Medical Center at 2 sites in United States.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record

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Trial summary

Who is it for?: Ages 30 years and older
Conditions the study is for: Atherosclerosis
What is being tested?: extended release niacin and ezetimibe
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 400 participants
Where: 2 sitesUnited States
Study dates: Nov 2006to Oct 2009
Phase: Phase 4
Are there results?: None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

Ages 30 years and older
All sexes
No healthy volunteers
Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

Male and female subjects, ≥ 30 years old with either known atherosclerotic coronary or vascular disease OR coronary risk equivalents defined as either:
diabetes mellitus,
multiple coronary risk factors with a Framingham Risk Score > 2% per year, or
an elevated coronary calcium score (> 400 for men, > 200 for women)
Currently being treated with a statin (Simvastatin 20 mg/d or its equivalent) as monotherapy for treatment of hyperlipidemia
Recent lipids (within the past 3 months without interval change in the statin regimen) showing both: LDL-C < 100 mg/dL and HDL-C < 50 mg/dL (men) or < 55 mg/dL (women)

Who cannot join

Current use of or known intolerance to niacin or ezetimibe
Known history of liver disease (cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) or abnormal liver associated enzymes, > 3x the upper laboratory reference value
Enrollment in another drug or device research protocol
Females who are pregnant, expect to get pregnant during the course of the study, or are breastfeeding

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites

Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, Maryland, 20912
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20307

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: ARBITER 6: ARterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6 - HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis (HALTS)

Recent evidence on the use of statin therapy indicates the potential for ultra-low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) to provide greater protection from recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) events. Thus, in August 2005, the guidelines for the treatment of lipid disorders (NCEP ATPIII) were revised to indicate that an LDL-C treatment goal of 70 mg/dL (revised from 100 mg/dL) was optional for patients with known CHD. In these same guidelines, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) are also suggested but not specifically proscribed as a target of therapy. Recently the ARBITER 2 trial has provided the first evidence of the potential of raising HDL-C with extended release niacin when added to statin monotherapy. However, whether this approach would be superior to a strategy in which lower concentrations of LDL-C are targeted is unknown.

The purpose of ARBITER 6 - HALTS is to compare HDL and LDL-focused strategies of lipid treatments for their effects of atherosclerosis. This study is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial comparing treatment strategies of either HDL-raising therapies or LDL reduction for dyslipidemia on carotid atherosclerosis. Subjects with known atherosclerotic coronary or vascular disease or otherwise at high cardiovascular risk through the presence of a coronary risk equivalent who are currently being treated with a statin will be eligible. Subjects will be randomly assigned in an allocation-concealed fashion to open label treatment with either Ezetimibe 10 mg/d for additional LDL-lowering OR Extended-release niacin (1 gm/d, titrated to max tolerable dose up to 2 gm/d) for HDL improvement.

The effects of these 2 different strategies of intensified lipid management on atherosclerosis will be assessed by the change in the carotid intima-media thickness, a validated surrogate endpoint. The data will help guide clinicians on the potential benefits of these lipid treatment strategies.

Conditions: Atherosclerosis
Being tested: extended release niacin, ezetimibe
Keywords: carotid intima media thickness, atherosclerosis, niacin, coronary heart disease, HDL-C, LDL-C
Medical subject headings: Atherosclerosis, Coronary Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

extended release niacinDrug
Extended release niacin will be started at 1000mg and titrated to 2000mg once a day
ezetimibeDrug
Ezetimibe 10mg once daily

Study groups in NCT00397657
Study group	Role	What they receive
Extended release niacin	Active comparator	Not described Receives: Drug: extended release niacin; Drug: ezetimibe
Ezetimibe	Active comparator	Not described Receives: Drug: ezetimibe

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

The primary endpoint is the change in carotid intima-media thickness between groups after 14 months
Measured: 14 months

Secondary outcomes (4)

The change in lipid values and lipid subfractions
Measured: 14 months
A composite endpoint consisting of all major adverse cardiovascular events (coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization, admission to the hospital for an acute coronary syndrome)
Measured: 14 months
Drug discontinuation due to adverse effects
Measured: 14 months
Quality of life measured with the EQ-5D questionnaire- a generic questionnaire for describing and valuing subjects' health-related quality of life that has been studied in cardiovascular subjects
Measured: 14 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

Nov 2006Oct 2009

First posted9 Nov 2006 (estimated)
Study startNov 2006
Primary completionAug 2009 (estimated)
Study completionOct 2009 (estimated)

Why it stopped: Independent steering committee has stopped the trial based on results of a prespecified, blinded interim analysis. It was not stopped due to safety concerns.

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Publications (15)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for AtherosclerosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Enrolment: 400 participants (estimated)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00397657
Sponsor's protocol ID: 06-12027
Status last verified: Jun 2009
First submitted: 8 Nov 2006
Last updated: 17 Jun 2009
Results posted: No

Publications

Cashin-Hemphill L, Mack WJ, Pogoda JM, Sanmarco ME, Azen SP, Blankenhorn DH. Beneficial effects of colestipol-niacin on coronary atherosclerosis. A 4-year follow-up. JAMA. 1990 Dec 19;264(23):3013-7.
PubMed 2243429
Mack WJ, Selzer RH, Hodis HN, Erickson JK, Liu CR, Liu CH, Crawford DW, Blankenhorn DH. One-year reduction and longitudinal analysis of carotid intima-media thickness associated with colestipol/niacin therapy. Stroke. 1993 Dec;24(12):1779-83. doi: 10.1161/01.str.24.12.1779.
PubMed 8248954
Brown G, Albers JJ, Fisher LD, Schaefer SM, Lin JT, Kaplan C, Zhao XQ, Bisson BD, Fitzpatrick VF, Dodge HT. Regression of coronary artery disease as a result of intensive lipid-lowering therapy in men with high levels of apolipoprotein B. N Engl J Med. 1990 Nov 8;323(19):1289-98. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199011083231901.
PubMed 2215615
Azen SP, Mack WJ, Cashin-Hemphill L, LaBree L, Shircore AM, Selzer RH, Blankenhorn DH, Hodis HN. Progression of coronary artery disease predicts clinical coronary events. Long-term follow-up from the Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study. Circulation. 1996 Jan 1;93(1):34-41. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.93.1.34.
PubMed 8616937
Brown BG, Zhao XQ, Chait A, Fisher LD, Cheung MC, Morse JS, Dowdy AA, Marino EK, Bolson EL, Alaupovic P, Frohlich J, Albers JJ. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001 Nov 29;345(22):1583-92. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa011090.
PubMed 11757504
Taylor AJ, Sullenberger LE, Lee HJ, Lee JK, Grace KA. Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol (ARBITER) 2: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of extended-release niacin on atherosclerosis progression in secondary prevention patients treated with statins. Circulation. 2004 Dec 7;110(23):3512-7. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000148955.19792.8D. Epub 2004 Nov 10.
PubMed 15537681
Nissen SE, Tuzcu EM, Schoenhagen P, Brown BG, Ganz P, Vogel RA, Crowe T, Howard G, Cooper CJ, Brodie B, Grines CL, DeMaria AN; REVERSAL Investigators. Effect of intensive compared with moderate lipid-lowering therapy on progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004 Mar 3;291(9):1071-80. doi: 10.1001/jama.291.9.1071.
PubMed 14996776
Taylor AJ, Kent SM, Flaherty PJ, Coyle LC, Markwood TT, Vernalis MN. ARBITER: Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol: a randomized trial comparing the effects of atorvastatin and pravastatin on carotid intima medial thickness. Circulation. 2002 Oct 15;106(16):2055-60. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000034508.55617.65.
PubMed 12379573
Davidson MH, McGarry T, Bettis R, Melani L, Lipka LJ, LeBeaut AP, Suresh R, Sun S, Veltri EP. Ezetimibe coadministered with simvastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002 Dec 18;40(12):2125-34. doi: 10.1016/s0735-1097(02)02610-4.
PubMed 12505224
Burke GL, Evans GW, Riley WA, Sharrett AR, Howard G, Barnes RW, Rosamond W, Crow RS, Rautaharju PM, Heiss G. Arterial wall thickness is associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease in middle-aged adults. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Stroke. 1995 Mar;26(3):386-91. doi: 10.1161/01.str.26.3.386.
PubMed 7886711
Jukema JW, Bruschke AV, van Boven AJ, Reiber JH, Bal ET, Zwinderman AH, Jansen H, Boerma GJ, van Rappard FM, Lie KI, et al. Effects of lipid lowering by pravastatin on progression and regression of coronary artery disease in symptomatic men with normal to moderately elevated serum cholesterol levels. The Regression Growth Evaluation Statin Study (REGRESS). Circulation. 1995 May 15;91(10):2528-40. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.91.10.2528.
PubMed 7743614
Taylor AJ, Lee HJ, Sullenberger LE. The effect of 24 months of combination statin and extended-release niacin on carotid intima-media thickness: ARBITER 3. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Nov;22(11):2243-50. doi: 10.1185/030079906x148508.
PubMed 17076985
Taylor AJ, Villines TC, Stanek EJ. Paradoxical progression of atherosclerosis related to low-density lipoprotein reduction and exposure to ezetimibe. Eur Heart J. 2012 Dec;33(23):2939-45. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehs105. Epub 2012 May 7.
PubMed 22564353
Villines TC, Stanek EJ, Devine PJ, Turco M, Miller M, Weissman NJ, Griffen L, Taylor AJ. The ARBITER 6-HALTS Trial (Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6-HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis): final results and the impact of medication adherence, dose, and treatment duration. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Jun 15;55(24):2721-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2010.03.017.
PubMed 20399059
Taylor AJ, Villines TC, Stanek EJ, Devine PJ, Griffen L, Miller M, Weissman NJ, Turco M. Extended-release niacin or ezetimibe and carotid intima-media thickness. N Engl J Med. 2009 Nov 26;361(22):2113-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0907569. Epub 2009 Nov 15.
PubMed 19915217

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See locations

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Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Jun 2009. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: ARBITER 6: ARterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6 - HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis (HALTS)
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00397657
Acronym / sponsor ID: 06-12027
Conditions: Atherosclerosis
Keywords: carotid intima media thickness, atherosclerosis, niacin, coronary heart disease, HDL-C, LDL-C
Phase: Phase 4
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: TerminatedReason stopped: Independent steering committee has stopped the trial based on results of a prespecified, blinded interim analysis. It was not stopped due to safety concerns.
Enrolment: 400 participants (estimated)
Lead sponsor: Walter Reed Army Medical CenterUS federal agency
Collaborators: Abbott
Study start: Nov 2006
Primary completion: Aug 2009 (estimated)
Study completion: Oct 2009 (estimated)
First posted: 9 Nov 2006 (estimated)
Results: Not posted in the source record

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

Study design

Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Number of arms: 2

Arm	Type	Receives
Extended release niacin	Active comparator	Drug: extended release niacin, Drug: ezetimibe
Ezetimibe	Active comparator	Drug: ezetimibe

Who may qualify

Ages: 30 years and older
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted
Age groups: Adult, Older adult

Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)

Male and female subjects, ≥ 30 years old with either known atherosclerotic coronary or vascular disease OR coronary risk equivalents defined as either:
Currently being treated with a statin (Simvastatin 20 mg/d or its equivalent) as monotherapy for treatment of hyperlipidemia
Recent lipids (within the past 3 months without interval change in the statin regimen) showing both: LDL-C < 100 mg/dL and HDL-C < 50 mg/dL (men) or < 55 mg/dL (women)

Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)

Current use of or known intolerance to niacin or ezetimibe
Known history of liver disease (cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) or abnormal liver associated enzymes, > 3x the upper laboratory reference value
Enrollment in another drug or device research protocol
Females who are pregnant, expect to get pregnant during the course of the study, or are breastfeeding

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions

Intervention	Type	Arms
extended release niacinExtended release niacin will be started at 1000mg and titrated to 2000mg once a day	Drug	Extended release niacin
ezetimibeEzetimibe 10mg once daily	Drug	Extended release niacin, Ezetimibe

Primary outcome

The primary endpoint is the change in carotid intima-media thickness between groups after 14 months
Time frame: 14 months

4 secondary outcomes

The change in lipid values and lipid subfractions
Time frame: 14 months
A composite endpoint consisting of all major adverse cardiovascular events (coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization, admission to the hospital for an acute coronary syndrome)
Time frame: 14 months
Drug discontinuation due to adverse effects
Time frame: 14 months
Quality of life measured with the EQ-5D questionnaire- a generic questionnaire for describing and valuing subjects' health-related quality of life that has been studied in cardiovascular subjects
Time frame: 14 months

Results and safety

The study was stopped early (reason given: Independent steering committee has stopped the trial based on results of a prespecified, blinded interim analysis. It was not stopped due to safety concerns.). Results are not available in the source record.

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Jun 2009.
Background: PubMed 2243429Cashin-Hemphill L, Mack WJ, Pogoda JM, Sanmarco ME, Azen SP, Blankenhorn DH. Beneficial effects of colestipol-niacin on coronary atherosclerosis. A 4-year follow-up. JAMA. 1990 Dec 19;264(23):3013-7.
Background: PubMed 8248954Mack WJ, Selzer RH, Hodis HN, Erickson JK, Liu CR, Liu CH, Crawford DW, Blankenhorn DH. One-year reduction and longitudinal analysis of carotid intima-media thickness associated with colestipol/niacin therapy. Stroke. 1993 Dec;24(12):1779-83. doi: 10.1161/01.str.24.12.1779.
Background: PubMed 2215615Brown G, Albers JJ, Fisher LD, Schaefer SM, Lin JT, Kaplan C, Zhao XQ, Bisson BD, Fitzpatrick VF, Dodge HT. Regression of coronary artery disease as a result of intensive lipid-lowering therapy in men with high levels of apolipoprotein B. N Engl J Med. 1990 Nov 8;323(19):1289-98. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199011083231901.
Background: PubMed 8616937Azen SP, Mack WJ, Cashin-Hemphill L, LaBree L, Shircore AM, Selzer RH, Blankenhorn DH, Hodis HN. Progression of coronary artery disease predicts clinical coronary events. Long-term follow-up from the Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study. Circulation. 1996 Jan 1;93(1):34-41. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.93.1.34.
Background: PubMed 11757504Brown BG, Zhao XQ, Chait A, Fisher LD, Cheung MC, Morse JS, Dowdy AA, Marino EK, Bolson EL, Alaupovic P, Frohlich J, Albers JJ. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001 Nov 29;345(22):1583-92. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa011090.
Background: PubMed 15537681Taylor AJ, Sullenberger LE, Lee HJ, Lee JK, Grace KA. Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol (ARBITER) 2: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of extended-release niacin on atherosclerosis progression in secondary prevention patients treated with statins. Circulation. 2004 Dec 7;110(23):3512-7. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000148955.19792.8D. Epub 2004 Nov 10.
Background: PubMed 14996776Nissen SE, Tuzcu EM, Schoenhagen P, Brown BG, Ganz P, Vogel RA, Crowe T, Howard G, Cooper CJ, Brodie B, Grines CL, DeMaria AN; REVERSAL Investigators. Effect of intensive compared with moderate lipid-lowering therapy on progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004 Mar 3;291(9):1071-80. doi: 10.1001/jama.291.9.1071.
Background: PubMed 12379573Taylor AJ, Kent SM, Flaherty PJ, Coyle LC, Markwood TT, Vernalis MN. ARBITER: Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol: a randomized trial comparing the effects of atorvastatin and pravastatin on carotid intima medial thickness. Circulation. 2002 Oct 15;106(16):2055-60. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000034508.55617.65.
Background: PubMed 12505224Davidson MH, McGarry T, Bettis R, Melani L, Lipka LJ, LeBeaut AP, Suresh R, Sun S, Veltri EP. Ezetimibe coadministered with simvastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002 Dec 18;40(12):2125-34. doi: 10.1016/s0735-1097(02)02610-4.
Background: PubMed 7886711Burke GL, Evans GW, Riley WA, Sharrett AR, Howard G, Barnes RW, Rosamond W, Crow RS, Rautaharju PM, Heiss G. Arterial wall thickness is associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease in middle-aged adults. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Stroke. 1995 Mar;26(3):386-91. doi: 10.1161/01.str.26.3.386.
Background: PubMed 7743614Jukema JW, Bruschke AV, van Boven AJ, Reiber JH, Bal ET, Zwinderman AH, Jansen H, Boerma GJ, van Rappard FM, Lie KI, et al. Effects of lipid lowering by pravastatin on progression and regression of coronary artery disease in symptomatic men with normal to moderately elevated serum cholesterol levels. The Regression Growth Evaluation Statin Study (REGRESS). Circulation. 1995 May 15;91(10):2528-40. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.91.10.2528.
Background: PubMed 17076985Taylor AJ, Lee HJ, Sullenberger LE. The effect of 24 months of combination statin and extended-release niacin on carotid intima-media thickness: ARBITER 3. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Nov;22(11):2243-50. doi: 10.1185/030079906x148508.

Related trials for Atherosclerosis

RecruitingObservational study
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Active, not recruitingObservational study
The CoPenHagen PREeClampsia and cardIOvascUlar diSease Study
Pre-Eclampsia, Atherosclerosis
Enrolling by invitation
The DANE-HEART Trial - Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography for Primary Prevention
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Referral and contact

AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

Allen J Taylor, MD principal investigator

Medstar Research Institute and Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC.

2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing extended release niacin and ezetimibe in people with Atherosclerosis, run by Walter Reed Army Medical Center at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Jun 2009. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

The primary endpoint is the change in carotid intima-media thickness between groups after 14 months (time frame: 14 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00397657, which also lists 15 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Jun 2009; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.