Statin therapy reduces inflammatory markers in hypercholesterolemic patients with high baseline levels.
OBJECTIVE
Hypercholesterolemic patients with inflammation are at high risk for cardiovascular events. Statins exert anti-inflammatory action independent of their cholesterol-lowering action. This study sought to clarify whether statin therapy reduces inflammatory markers in hypercholesterolemic patients and to determine factors that predict the reduction in these markers.


METHODS
Fasting concentrations of lipoproteins and inflammatory markers were measured in 54 hypercholesterolemic patients, and age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Carotid atherosclerosis was determined by ultrasonography. Blood samples were also analyzed in hypercholesterolemic patients after 4 weeks of statin therapy.


RESULTS
The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) protein concentrations did not differ between the two groups. Statin therapy reduced the median hs-CRP and SAA concentrations in hypercholesterolemic patients from 0.75 to 0.60 mg/L (p=0.05), and from 3.95 to 3.20 microg/mL (p=0.20), respectively. These reductions were significant for both markers, but only in subgroups with high baseline concentrations. Statins exhibited different results for hs-CRP and SAA in the presence of carotid atherosclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Statin therapy reduces inflammatory markers in hypercholesterolemic patients, and this anti-inflammatory action is limited to patients whose inflammatory markers are elevated at baseline.
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki
Y
Horiuchi
Satoshi
S
Hirayama
Satoshi
S
Soda
Utako
U
Seino
Mika
M
Kon
Tsuyoshi
T
Ueno
Mayumi
M
Idei
Osamu
O
Hanyu
Takashi
T
Tsuda
Hirotoshi
H
Ohmura
Takashi
T
Miida
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D016207:Cytokines; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein