title: Effect of 2-year treatment with low-dose rosuvastatin on intima-media thickness in hypercholesterolemic subjects with asymptomatic carotid artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent evidence indicates that rosuvastatin 40 mg may exert a beneficial effect in both carotid and coronary atherosclerosis progression. In particular, 2-year rosuvastatin treatment reduced the progression of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in patients with low cardiovascular risk. However, despite the fact that in clinical practice lower doses of rosuvastatin are usually administered at this time, there are no clear data about its effect on cIMT. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rosuvastatin 10 mg/day on cIMT over a 2-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients with hypercholesterolemia and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis on baseline carotid ultrasound investigation were treated with rosuvastatin 10 mg/day for 24 months. cIMT and lipid profile were assessed after 12 months and at the end of the study (24 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 24 months, the treatment showed a 35.67% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (171 vs 110 mg/dl; p < 0.001), a 32.27% reduction in total cholesterol (251 vs 170 mg/dl; p < 0.001), a 19.67% increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (49 vs 61 mg/dl; p < 0.001), and a 10% reduction in triglycerides (120 vs 108 mg/dl; p < 0.01). Rosuvastatin treatment was associated with a 26.6% reduction in left cIMT (1.20 vs 0.90 mm; p < 0.001) and a 22.2% reduction in right cIMT (1.22 vs 0.95 mm; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two-year treatment with rosuvastatin 10 mg/day in hypercholesterolemic adults with evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis establishes a significant reduction in cIMT and improves lipid and lipoprotein levels, with a good tolerability profile.
authors: San Camillo de Lellis Hospital, Cardiology Unit, Via Isonzo, Manfredonia, Foggia, Italy. griccioni@hotmail.com
authors: Graziano
authors: G
authors: Riccioni
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Cipollone
authors: Donato
authors: D
authors: Santovito
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Scotti
authors: Nicolantonio
authors: N
authors: D'Orazio
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Mezzetti
authors: Tonino
authors: T
authors: Bucciarelli
mesh_terms: D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014280:Triglycerides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D002784:Cholesterol