Effects of pitavastatin on fasting and postprandial endothelial function and blood rheology in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Because postprandial hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia may promote atherosclerosis, the present study investigated the effects of a clinical dose of pitavastatin on endothelial function and blood rheology in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) before and after eating a test meal.


RESULTS
The 16 patients with stable CAD and mild dyslipidemia and 6 age-matched healthy men as controls were recruited. In each group, forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured during postischemic reactive hyperemia and blood samples were taken before and 2 h after the test meal. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was also measured. The patients were started on pitavastatin 2 mg/day. The tests were repeated after 6 months. Maximum FBF during hyperemia in the baseline fasting phase was significantly lower in CAD patients than in control subjects (P=0.040). Fasting and postprandial FBF during reactive hyperemia significantly improved after pitavastatin treatment (P<0.05 vs baseline data for each phase) associated with reduced urine 8-OHdG, increased plasma adiponectin and improved lipid profile. No significant differences in baseline rheological parameters were seen between controls and CAD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Pitavastatin significantly improved fasting and postprandial dyslipidemia and endothelial dysfunction in CAD patients, partly via reducing oxidative stress and increasing plasma adiponectin, although rheological parameters remained unchanged.
Arao
Kenshiro
K
First Department of Integrated Medicine, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
Yasu
Takanori
T
Umemoto
Tomio
T
Jinbo
Sachimi
S
Ikeda
Nahoko
N
Ueda
Shinichiro
S
Kawakami
Masanobu
M
Momomura
Shin-Ichi
S
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005215:Fasting; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
D052242:Adiponectin; D011804:Quinolines; C108475:pitavastatin