title: Pitavastatin improves plasma pentraxin 3 and arterial stiffness in atherosclerotic patients with hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of pitavastatin on asymptomatic atherosclerosis in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five outpatients with hypercholesterolemia (61.5+/-12.8 yr) were administered 2 mg oral pitavastatin daily for 6 months. Plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a novel inflammatory marker of atherosclerosis, was measured together with the serum hsCRP and carotid-artery intima-media thickness (IMT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvement of the LDL-C/HDL-C and log (TG/HDL-C) ratios began to be observed from 1 month after using pitavastatin. Significant correlation of the initial PTX3 value was observed with the initial plaque score (PS) (p=0.038, r=0.246), but not between the hsCRP and plasma PTX3 or PS. When patients were divided into 3 groups based on the initial PTX3 values, a significant decrease of the plasma PTX3 was obtained in the highest PTX3 group alone (p=0.034). The change in the plasma PTX3 value (DeltaPTX3) was significantly correlated with the Delta mean IMT during the study period (p=0.008, r=0.456).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pitavastatin significantly reduced the elevated plasma levels of PTX3 in patients with hypercholesterolemia by its pleiotropic effect against atherosclerotic inflammation. This study showed for the first time that the plasma PTX3 might be a useful blood parameter for direct detection of active atherosclerotic change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, JA Gifu Tohno-Kousei Hospital, Gifu, Japan. ohbayasi@nn.iij4u.or.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohbayashi
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagara
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Ryouichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Onda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000187:drug effects*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D011804:Quinolines; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins; C108475:pitavastatin