Aernoud Fiolet

119 Colchicine in Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease VISUAL ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION D espitelifestylechangesandrisk-factorreduction,patientswithchroniccoronary disease remain at high risk for acute cardiovascular events. 1-3 The central role of inflammation in the progression of coronary disease is well recognized. 4,5 The possibility that antiinflammatory therapy may improve cardiovascular outcomes was first highlighted in the Canakinumab AntiinflammatoryThrombosis Outcome Study (CANTOS) involving patients with a history of myocardial infarction and an elevated baseline level of C-reactive protein; the results showed that the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events was lower among those who received canakinumab than among those who received placebo. 6 However, in another trial, a clinical benefit with methotrexate was not observed in patients with chronic coronary disease. 7 Colchicine is an antiinflammatory drug originally extracted from the autumn crocus ( Colchicum autumnale ) and was used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians.