title: Simvastatin exerts its anti-inflammatory effect in hypercholesterolaemic patients by decreasing the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of simvastatin on serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, macrophage colony stimulating factor, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A in hypercholesterolaemic patients without coronary heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty consecutive hypercholesterolaemic patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 process to 40 mg of simvastatin daily (n=40) and to hypolipidaemic only diet (n=20) for 3 months. Blood was taken at baseline and at the end of the study and analysed for lipids and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the inflammatory markers only MCP-1 was decreased significantly (217.4+/-48 versus 177+/-75 pg/ml, p<0.001) after treatment with simvastatin and this reduction was independent of lipid changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simvastatin significantly decreases only MCP-1 levels in hypercholesterolaemic patients suggesting that this molecule is probably a sensitive marker to detect the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin in blood.
authors.forename: Loukianos S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Rallidis
authors.forename: Eftichia S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hamodraka
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fountoulaki
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moustogiannis
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Zolindaki
authors.forename: Dimitrios T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kremastinos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000682:Amyloid / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019821:Simvastatin