title: Subtherapeutic, low-dose fluvastatin improves functional and morphological arterial wall properties in apparently healthy, middle-aged males--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early arterial wall changes are already present in the apparently healthy, middle-aged population and continuously progress with age. The aim of our study was to investigate whether 30 days low-dose fluvastatin treatment could improve and reverse these arterial changes that are primarily associated with ageing, in otherwise healthy middle-aged males.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double blind, randomized study, 50 middle-aged males received either placebo or fluvastatin (10mg) for 30 days. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and β-stiffness of the common carotid artery were measured on the 1st, 14th and 30th day of the study using an Aloka instrument by integrated eTracking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 77% of subjects, impaired endothelial function was revealed at inclusion in the study. All the parameters were improved already after 14 days, and after 30 days of treatment FMD improved by 91.5 ± 15.6%, while PWV and β-stiffness improved by 6.2 ± 1.1% and 10.7 ± 1.5%, respectively (all P<0.001). After therapy discontinuation, the beneficial effects progressively decreased, but were still detectable after 5 months. During the study the lipid profile remained unchanged, thus the beneficial effects obtained were attributed to the pleiotropic effects of fluvastatin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that subtherapeutic low-dose fluvastatin (10mg daily; 30 days) considerably improves and reverses early functional and morphological arterial wall impairments that are present in apparently healthy, middle-aged males. It might be supposed that such a new and original approach could be valuable in cardiovascular prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Diseases, Ljubljana University Medical Centre, Zaloška cesta 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. mojca.lunder@mf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunder
authors.forename: Miodrag
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janić
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habjan
authors.forename: Mišo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabovič
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000187:drug effects*; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D007211:Indoles; D010919:Placebos; D000077340:Fluvastatin