Statin therapy is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes and levels of inflammatory markers in patients with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
We wished to determine whether the addition of statins affect cardiovascular events and markers of inflammation in patients with heart failure.


RESULTS
A total of 446 patients with heart failure and ejection fraction < or =35% were followed in a prospective, nonrandomized fashion and were classified according to treatment with a statin. We determined all-cause mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and serum markers of inflammation over a 24-month period. Statin therapy in patients with heart failure was associated with decreased all-cause mortality at 2 years compared with those not on statin therapy (15% versus 33%, P < .005) as well as hospitalizations for heart failure (22% versus 38%, P = .001) and nonfatal myocardial infarction (11% versus 15%, P < .001). In addition, statin therapy was associated with a decrease in serum levels of C-reactive protein (1.12 +/- 0.13 versus 1.47 +/- 0.11 mg/dL, P = .001), interleukin-6 (13.3 +/- 0.8 versus 17.3 +/- 1.4 ng/dL, P = .001), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor II (24.3 +/- 1.0 versus 34.5 +/- 3.0 ng/dL, P = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of statin therapy in this nonrandomized trial was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality and cardiac morbidity. In addition, the improvement in levels of several serum inflammatory markers with statin therapy suggests in part possible mechanisms by which these agents may exert their benefits.
Sola
Srikanth
S
Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA.
Mir
Muhammad Q S
MQ
Rajagopalan
Sanjay
S
Helmy
Tarek
T
Tandon
Neeraj
N
Khan
Bobby V
BV
D000328:Adult; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase