National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute type II Coronary Intervention Study: design, methods, and baseline characteristics.

The Type II Coronary Intervention Study (Type II Study) is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of Bethesda, Maryland. The study was designed to evaluate the 5-year treatment effect of cholestyramine on low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and on lesions in the coronary arteries. One hundred forty-three patients with Type II hyperlipoproteinemia (elevated LDL cholesterol) and coronary artery disease (CAD) were entered into the study between 1972 and 1976. Patients were stratified by sex and extent of coronary disease as defined angiographically and were randomly allocated to a daily dosage of 24 g cholestyramine and diet (treatment group) or placebo and diet (control group). Changes in the coronary arteries were evaluated by sequential coronary angiography carried out before and after five years of treatment. This report describes the trial design and baseline characteristics of the study patients.