Efficacy of Telmisartan to Slow Growth of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA Cardiol. 2020 Dec 1;5(12):1374-1381. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2020.3524.

Abstract

Importance: Currently there is no drug therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Objective: To test the efficacy of the angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan in slowing AAA growth in the Telmisartan in the Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (TEDY) trial.

Design, setting, and participants: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial recruited participants between September 6, 2011, and October 5, 2016, to evaluate the efficacy of telmisartan treatment in patients with AAA. Participants with 35- to 49-mm AAAs recruited from Australia, the Netherlands, and the US were randomized 1:1 to receive telmisartan, 40 mg, or identical placebo. Analyses were conducted according to intention-to-treat principles. Final follow-up was conducted on October 11, 2018, and data analysis was performed between June and November 2019.

Intervention: Telmisartan, 40 mg, or identical placebo.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome of the difference in AAA growth, assessed on core imaging laboratory-read ultrasonographic scanning, was tested with linear mixed-effects models. Other outcomes included effects on blood pressure, computed tomographic (CT)-measured AAA diameter and volume, time to AAA-related events (AAA repair or mortality due to AAA rupture), and health-related quality of life.

Results: Of 300 intended participants, 210 were enrolled and randomized to receive telmisartan (n = 107) or placebo (n = 103). Of patients included in the intention-to-treat analysis (telmisartan: n = 106, placebo: n = 101), 183 were men (88%); mean (SD) age was 73.5 (7.9) years. At 1 year, participants receiving telmisartan had mean lower systolic (8.9; 95% CI, 4.1-13.8 mm Hg; P < .001) and diastolic (7.0; 4.3-9.8 mm Hg; P < .001) blood pressure levels compared with participants receiving placebo. A total of 188 participants (91%) received at least 2 ultrasonographic scans and 133 participants (64%) had at least 2 CT scans. There was no significant difference in ultrasonographic-assessed AAA growth rates among those assigned telmisartan (1.68 mm/y) or placebo (1.78 mm/y): mean difference, -0.11 mm/y (95% CI, -0.60 to 0.38 mm/y; P = .66). Telmisartan had no significant effects on AAA growth assessed by CT-measured AAA diameter (mean difference, -0.01 mm/y; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.01 mm/y; P = .23) or volume (mean difference, -0.02 cm3/y; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.00 cm3/y; P = .11), AAA-related events (relative risk, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.54-3.35; P = .52), or health-related quality of life (mean difference in physical component score at 24 months, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.4-0.4; P = .80). Hypotensive symptoms (eg, syncope) were twice as common among participants receiving telmisartan compared with placebo (28 [26%] vs 13 [13%]; P = .02), but overall adverse event rates were otherwise similar for both groups.

Conclusions and relevance: This underpowered study did not show a treatment effect for telmisartan on small AAA growth. Future trials will need to ensure adequate sample size and duration of follow-up.

Trial registrations: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000931976; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01683084.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / therapeutic use*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / drug therapy*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Telmisartan / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
  • Telmisartan

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01683084
  • ANZCTR/ACTRN12611000931976