Efficacy of Telmisartan to Slow Growth of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Authors: Jonathan Golledge, Jenna Pinchbeck, Stephanie M. Tomee, Sophie E. Rowbotham, Tejas P. Singh, Joseph V. Moxon, Jason S. Jenkins, Jan H. Lindeman, Ronald L. Dalman, Lori McDonnell, Robert Fitridge, Dylan R. Morris
Journal: JAMA Cardiology (2020)

Currently there is no drug therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).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.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.Telmisartan, 40 mg, or identical placebo.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.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.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.anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000931976; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01683084.