title: Relationships between use of statins and arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statins improve arterial stiffness in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypertension is a predominant contributor of arterial stiffening. However, the influence of hypertension on the effect of statins for improving arterial stiffness in CAD patients has seldom been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the relationships between statin use and arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was measured in 437 patients, including 220 hypertensive CAD patients (121 used statins, 99 did not) and 217 normotensive CAD patients (105 used statins, 112 did not). The normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients were matched according to age, sex, and body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients, lipid profiles were significantly improved in the statin group compared with the non-statin group. No significant differences in the administered statins (i.e., atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, and pravastatin) and statin therapy duration were found between normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients (all P > 0.05). No significant correlation of ba-PWV and statin therapy duration was found in all CAD patients, normotensive CAD patients, or hypertensive CAD patients (all P > 0.05). ba-PWV in the statin group was significantly lower than that in the non-statin group in normotensive CAD patients ((1331.68 ± 167.52) cm/s vs. (1468.61 ± 244.54) cm/s, P = 0.002) but not in hypertensive CAD patients (P > 0.05). In multiple linear regression analyses, statin therapy was significantly associated with ba-PWV after adjusting for confounding variables in normotensive CAD patients (P = 0.018) but not in hypertensive CAD patients (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statins may significantly improve arterial stiffness in CAD patients, and hypertension may probably influence the effectiveness of statin therapy in improving arterial stiffness in this population. Further studies are required to investigate the effect of statins on arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhi-guang
authors: ZG
authors: Wang
authors: Bing-wei
authors: BW
authors: Chen
authors: Na-qiang
authors: NQ
authors: Lü
authors: Yan-mei
authors: YM
authors: Cheng
authors: Ai-min
authors: AM
authors: Dang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors