Atorvastatin reduces fibrinogen levels in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia: additional evidence to support the anti-inflammatory effects of statins.
BACKGROUND
Elevated fibrinogen levels are considered a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and might be used as a predictor of risk for the development of atherothrombotic events. Several studies have reached equivocal conclusions regarding the effect of statins on fibrinogen.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia and no other risk factors.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients with low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels above 170 mg/dl (4.40 mmol/L) and with no other risk factors were included in the study. None of the patients had ever received hypolipidemic medication. Patients were followed for 24 weeks (6 office visits 4 weeks apart). During office visits, lipid profile, complete blood count, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein levels were measured.


RESULTS
After 24 weeks of follow-up, total cholesterol decreased by 33% (287 +/- 10 to 192 +/- 8 mg/dl, P < 0.001), LDL-C by 45% (198 +/- 8 to 111 +/- 7 mg/dl, P < 0.001) and triglycerides by 21% (189 +/- 26 to 138 +/- 15 mg/dl, P < 0.001). Fibrinogen levels dropped by 18% (355 +/- 26 to 275 +/- 7 mg/dl, P = 0.01). CRP levels decreased from 0.51 +/- 0.15 to 0.28 +/- 0.10 mg/dl, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09). High density lipoprotein, hemoglobin, white blood cell and platelet counts did not change.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that atorvastatin reduces plasma fibrinogen in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Department of Internal Medicine A, Bruner Institute of Research, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
Eyal
E
Leibovitz
Neli
N
Hazanov
Angela
A
Frieman
Itzhak
I
Elly
Dov
D
Gavish
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000187:drug effects*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D005340:Fibrinogen; D000069059:Atorvastatin