Influence of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on markers of coagulation, systemic inflammation and soluble cell adhesion.
BACKGROUND
Beneath its lipid-lowering properties additional non-lipid effects of statin therapy are discussed. We therefore examined the impact of statins on laboratory markers of coagulation, inflammation and soluble cell adhesion to further explore these effects in 950 hospitalised patients with angiographically proven CAD.


RESULTS
Although no significant differences were found in total cholesterol, LDL and HDL and triglyceride levels a statistically lower value in 277 statin-treated patients was found for von Willebrand factor [162(130/224) vs. 208(154/283)%, P=0.0001], leukocyte count [6.9(5.8/8.4) vs. 7.3(6.1/9.4)/nl, P=0.0005], high sensitive CRP [4.3(1.8/10.8) vs. 7.6(2.8/20.0) mg/dl, P=0.0001], interleukin-6 [9.5(5.1/18.7) vs. 14.4(7.2/28.1) mg/dl, P=0.0001] and soluble p-selectin [112.6(82.0/146.0) vs. 127.8(93.8/162.4) mg/dl, P=0.001] compared to 673 patients without statin therapy. This result was confirmed in a subgroup of 510 patients matched for age, gender and percentage of acute coronary syndromes.


CONCLUSIONS
In statin treated patients significantly lower levels of coagulation, systemic inflammation and soluble cell adhesion markers were found. Therefore the effect of statin therapy may also be mediated by additional non-lipid-lowering effects.
Bickel
Christoph
C
Department of Medicine II, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. cbickel@t-online.de
Rupprecht
Hans J
HJ
Blankenberg
Stefan
S
Espinola-Klein
Christine
C
Rippin
Gerd
G
Hafner
Gerd
G
Lotz
Johannes
J
Prellwitz
Winfried
W
Meyer
Jürgen
J
D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000187:drug effects
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014841:von Willebrand Factor