A multicenter, double-blind randomized trial of colchicine on Colchicine for Recurrent Pericarditis (CORP) for secondary prevention of pericarditis.

1. CORP (Colchicine for Recurrent
Pericarditis)

2. CORP (Colchicine for Recurrent Pericarditis)
M Imazio (Vittoria Hospital, Turin, Italy)
European Society of Cardiology 2011 Congress
• A multicenter, double-blind randomized trial of colchicine for secondary prevention
of pericarditis
• Population and treatment:
120 patients with a first recurrence of pericarditis
Randomized to placebo or low-dose colchicine (1 mg bid for 24 hours)a,b in
addition to conventional treatment (aspirin 800–1000 mg or ibuprofen 600 mg
every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days or prednisone 0.2–0.5 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks)b
• Outcomes:
Primary efficacy end point: Recurrence rate at 18 months
Secondary end points: Symptom persistence at 72 hours, remission rate at one
month, number of recurrences, time to subsequent recurrence, disease-related
hospitalization, cardiac tamponade, and constrictive pericarditis
a. An additional 0.5 mg bid for 6 months was given for those weighing >70 kg
b. Aspirin or ibuprofen as first choice, prednisone as second choice

3. CORP: Results
• Colchicine halved the rate of recurrence:
24% vs 55% for those taking colchicine vs those on placebo, respectively
(relative risk reduction 56%; p<0.001)
• There were also significant reductions in a number of secondary end points among
those taking colchicine vs placebo
• This translates into a number needed to treat of only three patients to prevent one
recurrence

4. CORP: Commentary*
"Colchicine appears to be a safe, low-cost drug for rapid symptom relief, improved
remission rates at one week, and reduced recurrence after an initial episode of
recurrent pericarditis."
- Dr Massimo Imazio
"The time has come where colchicine should be more freely used."
- Dr Andre Keren
*All comments from CORP: Colchicine prevents recurrent pericarditis
(http://www.theheart.org/article/1269419.do)

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