Effect of pravastatin on erythrocyte rheological and biochemical properties in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
The rheological properties of erythrocytes are impaired in diabetes mellitus, especially because of changes in their membrane lipid composition. In hypercholesterolaemic patients, lowering plasma cholesterol is associated with an improvement of the erythrocyte rheological parameters. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between erythrocyte deformability, plasma lipids, lipid membrane composition and cytosolic cations in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients and to test the effects of a cholesterol-lowering treatment on these parameters.


METHODS
We compared 37 poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients with 26 controls. In 22 of the diabetic patients who showed an impairment in erythrocyte deformability (filtration index >10.5 on the Hanss' haemorheometer), a double-blind randomized trial compared the effect of the inhibitor of HMG CoA reductase pravastatin 20 mg per day for 4 months vs. placebo on the erythrocyte parameters.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, diabetic patients had higher filtration index (FI), erythrocyte sodium and calcium contents and lower free cholesterol-phospholipids ratio in erythrocyte membranes. Erythrocyte sodium content correlated positively with the FI and the membrane free cholesterol-phospholipids ratio. In the pravastatin-treated group (11 patients), fibrinogen decreased significantly, FI reached a normal value (<10) in six patients. Four of the five other patients who still had abnormal FI after 4 months of treatment had either a high plasma triglycerides (> or =4.60 mmol/l) or a high plasma fibrinogen (> or =4 g/l) level at baseline. Only two of the 11 placebo-treated patients achieved a normal FI.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients there is a link between the chemical composition and the rheological properties of erythrocytes. Erythrocyte deformability may be improved by lowering plasma cholesterol with a statin.
Miossec
P
P
Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Jean Verdier Hospital, Paris-Nord University, Bondy, France.
Zkhiri
F
F
Pariès
J
J
David-Dufilho
M
M
Devynck
M A
MA
Valensi
P E
PE
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012016:Reference Values; D012212:Rheology
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004573:Electrolytes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010743:Phospholipids; D010919:Placebos; D019270:Fructosamine; D002784:Cholesterol; D017035:Pravastatin