HOPE-2 Study (Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation-2 Study)

The purpose of the HOPE-2 study is to determine whether long term supplementation with folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 aimed at homocyst(e)ine reduction reduces the rates of major fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events in patients with established cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes mellitus.

Sex

All

Minimum age

55 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Women and men 55 years of age or over with established CVD and at high risk for future fatal and nonfatal CV events, defined as:

  1. Documented coronary artery disease (CAD);
  2. Documented peripheral vascular disease (PVD);
  3. Documented cerebrovascular disease;
  4. Diabetes with one of the following; additional cardiovascular risk factors:

  i) hypertension (BP \>160 mmHg systolic or \>90 mmHg diastolic or on treatment); ii) total cholesterol \>5.2 mmol/L (\>200 mg/dl); iii) HDL cholesterol \<0.9 mmol/L (3.5 mg/dl); iv) current cigarette smoker; v) any evidence of previous vascular disease
* Provision of informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current use of any vitamin supplements containing folic acid \>200 micrograms/day. The patients taking such vitamin supplements can be asked if they agree to discontinue these supplements. If they agree, they can be randomized to the study following a one month wash-out period.
* Known previous adverse reactions to folic acid and/or vitamin B6 and/or B12.
* Planned cardiac, peripheral or cerebrovascular revascularization, defined as a decision taken by the patient and his or her physician(s) to perform surgical or percutaneous transluminal revascularization within the next 6 months.
* Hemodynamically significant primary valvular outflow tract obstruction (e.g. mitral stenosis, asymmetric septal hypertrophy, malfunctioning prosthetic valve).
* Constrictive pericarditis.
* Complex congenital heart disease.
* Syncopal episodes presumed to be due to uncontrolled life-threatening arrhythmias (asymptomatic arrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia are not exclusion criteria.
* Uncontrolled hypertension.
* Cor pulmonale.
* Heart transplant recipient.
* Other important non-cardiovascular disease(s) expected to limit compliance and/or impact on patient's ability to complete the study, such as: \*history of alcohol or drug abuse, \*psychiatric disorders, \*senility, \*severe physical disability, \*illnesses including terminal stage of cancer and other major systemic illnesses expected to limit the patient's ability to comply with the study protocol and to complete the study.

• DERIVEDSaposnik G, Ray JG, Sheridan P, McQueen M, Lonn E; Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 Investigators. Homocysteine-lowering therapy and stroke risk, severity, and disability: additional findings from the HOPE 2 trial. Stroke. 2009 Apr;40(4):1365-72. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.529503. Epub 2009 Feb 19. PMID 19228852
• DERIVEDHeld C, Sumner G, Sheridan P, McQueen M, Smith S, Dagenais G, Yusuf S, Lonn E. Correlations between plasma homocysteine and folate concentrations and carotid atherosclerosis in high-risk individuals: baseline data from the Homocysteine and Atherosclerosis Reduction Trial (HART). Vasc Med. 2008 Nov;13(4):245-53. doi: 10.1177/1358863X08092102. PMID 18940900
• DERIVEDMann JF, Sheridan P, McQueen MJ, Held C, Arnold JM, Fodor G, Yusuf S, Lonn EM; HOPE-2 investigators. Homocysteine lowering with folic acid and B vitamins in people with chronic kidney disease--results of the renal Hope-2 study. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2008 Feb;23(2):645-53. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfm485. Epub 2007 Nov 14. PMID 18003666
• DERIVEDSawka AM, Ray JG, Yi Q, Josse RG, Lonn E. Randomized clinical trial of homocysteine level lowering therapy and fractures. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Oct 22;167(19):2136-9. doi: 10.1001/archinte.167.19.2136. No abstract available. PMID 17954810
• DERIVEDRay JG, Kearon C, Yi Q, Sheridan P, Lonn E; Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 (HOPE-2) Investigators. Homocysteine-lowering therapy and risk for venous thromboembolism: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Jun 5;146(11):761-7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-146-11-200706050-00157. Epub 2007 Apr 30. PMID 17470822
• DERIVEDLonn E, Yusuf S, Arnold MJ, Sheridan P, Pogue J, Micks M, McQueen MJ, Probstfield J, Fodor G, Held C, Genest J Jr; Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) 2 Investigators. Homocysteine lowering with folic acid and B vitamins in vascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2006 Apr 13;354(15):1567-77. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa060900. Epub 2006 Mar 12.