STAR is a double-blind study designed to include postmenopausal women age 35 and older who are at increased risk for developing breast cancer. CINJ is enrolling eligible participants. Participants must be premenopausal and between the ages of 18 and 55. Pregnant women are not eligible to participate. Eligible participants will receive physical examinations, followup visits, labora-tory tests and medication at no cost.
Monetary compensation is provided upon completion of the study.
Alice B. Gottlieb, MD, PhD, is the principal investigator for this study. It is the first national study to link the use of antibiotics to the possible prevention of coronary events. The study is based on previous research that indicated that Chlamydia pneumoniae, an intracellular bacterium first described in association with acute respiratory infections in 1965, contributes to the development of atherosclerotic events such as heart attacks. To be eligible to participate, volunteers must be adults diagnosed with heart disease. Those enrolled in the study will be given 600 milligrams of azithromycin orally once a week or a placebo.