Rapid reduction in C-reactive protein with cerivastatin among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.
BACKGROUND
Long-term therapy with hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) has been shown to reduce levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). However, the generalizability, speed of onset, and dose-response characteristics of this effect are uncertain.


RESULTS
We measured CRP, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia at baseline and after 8 weeks of therapy with either 0.4 or 0.8 mg of cerivastatin. Overall, cerivastatin resulted in a 13.3% reduction in median CRP levels (P:<0.001) and a 24.5% reduction in mean CRP levels (P:<0.001). Although LDL-C promptly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (mean LDL-C reduction, 37.3% for 0.4 mg and 42.2% for 0.8 mg of cerivastatin), no clear dose-response effect of cerivastatin on CRP was observed, nor was there any substantive correlation between the magnitude of change in CRP and the magnitude of change in LDL-C (r=-0.08) or the magnitude of change in HDL-C (r=-0.04). Thus, <2% of the variance in the percent change in CRP over 8 weeks could be attributed to the percent change in either of these lipid parameters. Further, there was no evidence of correlation between baseline CRP levels and baseline lipid levels or between end-of-study CRP levels and end-of-study lipid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia, CRP levels were significantly reduced within 8 weeks of initiating cerivastatin therapy in a lipid-independent manner.
Ridker
P M
PM
Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. pridker@partners.org
Rifai
N
N
Lowenthal
S P
SP
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C086276:cerivastatin