title: Effects of ezetimibe added to ongoing statin therapy on C-reactive protein levels in hypercholesterolemic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ezetimibe alone does not decrease C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in hypercholesterolemic patients. However, several reports have suggested that ezetimibe might potentiate the effect of statin not only on cholesterol but also on CRP when administered together. We investigated the effect of ezetimibe on CRP levels in patients taking statins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had not achieved recommended low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) goals with statin therapy were divided into two groups, the ezetimibe group (n=60) and the control group (n=60). A third group of hypercholesterolemic patients without statin therapy was treated with statin (n=59). Patients with CRP level 10 mg/L were excluded. Lipid and CRP levels were measured before therapy commenced, and after 2 months of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ezetimibe decreased cholesterol and LDL-C levels by 20.2% (p=0.000) and 28.1% (p=0.000) respectively. However, ezetimibe did not reduce CRP levels (from 0.83±0.68 to 1.14±1.21 mg/dL, p=0.11). CRP levels remained unchanged in the control group (p=0.42). In contrast, statin lowered CRP levels (from 0.82±0.73 to 0.65±0.57 mg/dL, p=0.008). In patients taking statins, changes in CRP levels were not associated with changes in LDL-C (r=-0.02, p=0.87), but with baseline CRP levels (r=-0.38, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ezetimibe failed to reduce CRP levels in hypercholesterolemic patients taking statins despite significant reduction of LDL-C. This finding suggests that the anti-inflammatory effect of statin may not be secondary to cholesterol reduction, but via other mechanisms.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Min Seok
authors: MS
authors: Oh
authors: Yun Joo
authors: YJ
authors: Min
authors: Jee Eun
authors: JE
authors: Kwon
authors: Eun Jeong
authors: EJ
authors: Cho
authors: Jung Eun
authors: JE
authors: Kim
authors: Wang-Soo
authors: WS
authors: Lee
authors: Kwang Je
authors: KJ
authors: Lee
authors: Sang-Wook
authors: SW
authors: Kim
authors: Tae Ho
authors: TH
authors: Kim
authors: Chee Jeong
authors: CJ
authors: Kim
authors: Wang Seong
authors: WS
authors: Ryu