JUPITER Trial Terminated Early

April 2, 2008 by C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D.

London Enrollment in the JUPITER trial, a trial testing the benefit of rosuvastatin (Crestor) in reducing the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels but an increased level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), has been halted after the data safety monitoring board reported that there was 'unequivocal evidence' of a reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the active treatment arm. The trial began in 2003 and was slated to enroll 15,000 patients.

Inclusion criteria in JUPITER included men aged 50 years and older and women aged 60 years and older, who have no history of heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event, and who, upon examination, are found to have LDL cholesterol levels less than 130 mg/dL (3.36 mmol/L) and hsCRP levels of 2 mg/L or greater, are eligible to participate provided that they:
 * Are not currently using a statin or other lipid-lowering medication
 * Are not currently using oral postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
 * Are not currently using immunosuppressant medication
 * Do not have diabetes mellitus
 * Do not have uncontrolled high blood pressure
 * Do not have a recent history of cancer, except skin cancer

The patients were treated with study medicine for at least 3 years.

Participating countries included Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Israel, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

You can read more about the JUPITER study here: