title: Effects of atorvastatin on apelin, visfatin (nampt), ghrelin and early carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: To investigate the influence of atrovastatin treatment on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and serum levels of novel adipokines, like apelin, visfatin (nampt), and ghrelin, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). 87 statin-free patients (50 males) with T2DM, aged 55-70, but without carotid atherosclerotic plaques were initially enrolled. CIMT was assayed in all participants by ultrasound. Patients were then treated with atorvastatin (10-80 mg) to target LDL <100 mg/dl. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, glycemic and lipid profile, high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), apelin, visfatin and ghrelin were measured at baseline and after 12 months. Atorvastatin treatment significantly improved lipid profile across with increased apelin (from 0.307 ± 0.130 pg/ml to 1.537 ± 0.427 pg/ml; P < 0.001) and suppressed visfatin (from 21.54 ± 10.14 ng/ml to 15.13 ± 7.61 ng/ml; P = 0.002) serum levels in our diabetic patients. Standard multiple regression analysis showed that the atorvastatin-induced increment in apelin was independently associated with changes in total cholesterol (β = -0.510, P = 0.030) and LDL-cholesterol (β = -0.590, P < 0.001) (R (2) = 0.449, P = 0.014), while the reduction of visfatin concentration was independently associated with the change in hsCRP (β = 0.589, P < 0.001; R (2) = 0.256, P = 0.006), after adjustment for age, sex and BMI. CIMT and ghrelin did not alter significantly after 12 months of atorvastatin treatment (NS). Among participants, high-dose (80 mg) rather than low-dose (10 mg) of atorvastatin treatment yielded greater (P < 0.05) changes in apelin, visfatin and CIMT levels despite the final equivalent levels of LDL. Atorvastatin administration increased apelin and decreased visfatin serum levels significantly, without change of CIMT, in patients with T2DM. However, high-dose of atorvastatin exerted more favourable impact on adipokines and CIMT than low-dose. Our results implicate another important link between adiposity and atherosclerosis.
authors: First Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokratio General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. nikoskad@yahoo.com
authors: Nikolaos P E
authors: NP
authors: Kadoglou
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Sailer
authors: Alkistis
authors: A
authors: Kapelouzou
authors: Stylianos
authors: S
authors: Lampropoulos
authors: Ioulia
authors: I
authors: Vitta
authors: Alkiviadis
authors: A
authors: Kostakis
authors: Christos D
authors: CD
authors: Liapis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000073861:Apelin; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C115436:APLN protein, human; D000073861:Apelin; D016207:Cytokines; D054439:Ghrelin; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human