The Positive Effects of Colchicine Against Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients After Acute MI: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory responses initiate immediately after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Colchicine, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, is used to treat inflammatory diseases. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate inflammatory responses among patients with acute MI following the administration of colchicine. Methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial included adult patients with acute MI (n = 81), determined via an arbitrary approach, who were randomly divided into intervention (n = 41) and control (n = 40) groups using random allocation software. The study subjects included all referred adult MI patients (aged 18 to 80 years) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and presentation of chest pain onset for at least 12 hours. Patients received the intervention (colchicine/placebo 3 mg) at the beginning of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and one hour thereafter. Inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6, along with clinical data such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR), were recorded at the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 software, with a P-value ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The results showed that CRP levels, along with SBP, DBP, and HR, in both control and intervention groups were significantly decreased compared to baseline levels (P < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant reduction in CRP and IL-1β levels in the intervention group compared to the control group after the intervention (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that two dosages of colchicine decreased inflammatory responses after PCI in patients with acute MI. However, its effects on blood pressure need to be investigated over a longer period, considering confounding factors.