Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind Trial on the Impact of Rosuvastatin on Subclinical Markers of Atherosclerosis in Patients With Primary Necrotizing Vasculitides

Previous studies demonstrated the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with ANCA-associated systemic necrotizing vasculitis. Since statins lower levels of inflammatory proteins and cholesterol, we hypothesized that people with ANCA-associated systemic necrotizing vasculitis but without indication for statin treatment according to recommandations might benefit from statin treatment.

Inclusion criteria

Patient > 18 years. ANCA-associated vasculitis: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA, Churg-Strauss syndrome).

Patients will fulfill the Chapel Hill Consensus Criteria and the American College of Rheumatology criteria, in remission of vasculitis.

Patients in remission of vasculitis after induction therapy (for first flare or relapse), including corticosteroids associated or not with immunosuppressive agents according to Good Clinical Practice for the treatment of vasculitis, between 6 months and 10 years after the beginning of induction therapy.

Patients with informed and signed consent

Exclusion criteria

Other systemic vasculitis. Secondary vasculitis (paraneoplastic or infectious). Patient with active vasculitis after induction therapy, requiring salvage therapy.

Inability to sign informed consent. Inability to take the experimental treatment. Hypersensitivity to rosuvastatin or to any of the excipients. Pregnancy. Chronic HCV, HBV and/or HIV infection. Patient receiving other statin or other hypolipemic agent. Patient requiring treatment with statin according to Afssaps recommandations published in 2005 as primary or secondary prevention.

Subclinical atherosclerosis that confers a high cardiovascular risk before patient randomization :

• Carotid stenosis greater than 50% in diameter
• Ectasia of the abdominal aorta
• Intima-media thickening greater than 1.2 mm
• Diffuse atherosclerosis lesions
• Heterogeneous or hypoechoic prominent plaques greater than 2 mm

Participation in another interventional study within 3 months before inclusion. Sick patients will not be excluded if they participate simultaneously in a strictlu observational study or a study with only blood samplings.

Any medical or psycatric disease that could prevent from administrating drugs or from following-up the patient according to the protocol, and/or that would expose the patient to an important number of side effects, according to the principal investigator.

Non affiliation to a social security system or any social protection system.