Supplementation of Lycopene in Carotid Atheroma

Summary

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. One of the causes of stroke which can be treated is narrowing of the carotid artery. Currently the only definite treatment option is surgery or endovascular treatment. All patients not qualified for or awaiting surgery are, therefore, left with best medical therapy and with a yearly risk of stroke anywhere between 1% - 35% depending on the severity of the disease. The study will use the properties of a tomato extract containing lycopene. Previously studies have demonstrated beneficial properties of tomato extracts: 1. It decreases lipid oxidation 2. It decreases DNA damage 3. It has properties that reduce the speed and amount of cell divisions that inflammatory and smooth muscle cells undergo (both of these cell types contribute to atheroma formation). The investigators wish to assess whether long-term food supplementation with a tomato extract containing lycopene could influence atherosclerotic plaque characteristics. The investigators will assess this using Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the plaque and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography for counting the number of blood clots that go to the brain's arteries. Furthermore the investigators wish to examine the effect of long-term food supplementation with a tomato extract containing lycopene on blood cholesterol levels and lipid oxidation and blood markers of inflammation and injury of the inner lining of the arteries. This will be a single center, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study.

Timeline

Start

2015-08

Primary completion

2017-12

Completion

2018-04

Publications

• Background Corti R, Fuster V, Fayad ZA, Worthley SG, Helft G, Smith D, Weinberger J, Wentzel J, Mizsei G, Mercuri M, Badimon JJ. Lipid lowering by simvastatin induces regression of human atherosclerotic lesions: two years' follow-up by high-resolution noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging. Circulation. 2002 Dec 3;106(23):2884-7. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000041255.88750.f0.
• Background Corti R, Fuster V, Fayad ZA, Worthley SG, Helft G, Chaplin WF, Muntwyler J, Viles-Gonzalez JF, Weinberger J, Smith DA, Mizsei G, Badimon JJ. Effects of aggressive versus conventional lipid-lowering therapy by simvastatin on human atherosclerotic lesions: a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005 Jul 5;46(1):106-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2005.03.054.
• Background Tang TY, Howarth SP, Miller SR, Graves MJ, Patterson AJ, U-King-Im JM, Li ZY, Walsh SR, Brown AP, Kirkpatrick PJ, Warburton EA, Hayes PD, Varty K, Boyle JR, Gaunt ME, Zalewski A, Gillard JH. The ATHEROMA (Atorvastatin Therapy: Effects on Reduction of Macrophage Activity) Study. Evaluation using ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in carotid disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Jun 2;53(22):2039-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2009.03.018.
• Background Underhill HR, Yuan C, Zhao XQ, Kraiss LW, Parker DL, Saam T, Chu B, Takaya N, Liu F, Polissar NL, Neradilek B, Raichlen JS, Cain VA, Waterton JC, Hamar W, Hatsukami TS. Effect of rosuvastatin therapy on carotid plaque morphology and composition in moderately hypercholesterolemic patients: a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging trial. Am Heart J. 2008 Mar;155(3):584.e1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2007.11.018. Epub 2008 Jan 18.
• Background Carpenter KL, Hardwick SJ, Albarani V, Mitchinson MJ. Carotenoids inhibit DNA synthesis in human aortic smooth muscle cells. FEBS Lett. 1999 Mar 19;447(1):17-20. doi: 10.1016/s0014-5793(99)00252-5.
• Background Das S, Otani H, Maulik N, Das DK. Lycopene, tomatoes, and coronary heart disease. Free Radic Res. 2005 Apr;39(4):449-55. doi: 10.1080/10715760500053685.
• Background Holvoet P, Collen D. Oxidation of low density lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. 1998 Apr;137 Suppl:S33-8. doi: 10.1016/s0021-9150(97)00305-5.

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