Effects of statins on endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery is a method capable of detecting endothelium dysfunction. Statins are generally consent drugs for reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and are shown to improve the systemic endothelial function.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess the endothelial function using FMD of the brachial artery in patients with different degrees of coronary artery stenosis with respect to their treatment with statins.


METHODS
We evaluated the FMD of 221 patients with coronary arteriography performed, of whom 99 (44.8%) were receiving statins and 122 (55.2%) were not receiving statins.


RESULTS
We did not find a statistically significant difference in the FMD values between the patients with and without a statin treatment: 5.57 +/- 5.68 and 4.69 +/- 4.48, respectively, P = .581. In the subgroup of patients without angiographically visible coronary artery stenoses or with stenoses <20% (86 patients), patients undergoing statin treatment had a significantly better endothelial function compared to patients without such a treatment: FMD 9.24 +/- 6.87 and 6.50 +/- 4.51, respectively, P = .047.


CONCLUSIONS
FMD could not distinguish between the patients who were treated with statin and those not treated with statins with the same demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics. The only exception was in the group of patients with a minor coronary disease. Statin treatment had a more pronounced effect in the earlier stages of coronary atherosclerosis.
Clinic of Cardiology, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Sofia, Bulgaria. ianahr@yahoo.com
Iana I
II
Simova
Stefan V
SV
Denchev
Simeon I
SI
Dimitrov
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors