Effects of statins on proinflammatory/prothrombotic biomarkers and on disease activity scores in SLE patients: data from LUMINA (LXXVI), a multi-ethnic US cohort.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the effect of statin therapy on the levels of proinflammatory/prothrombotic markers and disease activity scores in patients with SLE in a multi-ethnic, multi-centre cohort (LUMINA).


METHODS
Plasma/serum samples from SLE patients placed on statins (n=21) therapy taken before and after at least 6 months of treatment were tested. Disease activity was assessed using SLAM-R scores. Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) levels were determined by a multiplex immunoassay. Soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies were evaluated using ELISA assays while high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was assessed by nephelometry. Plasma/serum samples from frequency- matched healthy donors were used as controls.


RESULTS
Levels of IL-6, VEGF, sCD40L and TNF-α were significantly elevated in SLE patients versus controls. Statin therapy resulted in a significant decrease in SLAM-R scores (p=0.0199) but no significant changes in biomarker levels were observed. There was no significant association of biomarkers with SLAM-R scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Statin therapy resulted in significant clinical improvement in SLE patients, underscoring the use of statins in the treatment of SLE.
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. rowillis@utmb.edu.
R
R
Willis
A M
AM
Seif
G
G
McGwin
L A
LA
Martinez-Martinez
E B
EB
González
E
E
Doan
N
N
Dang
E
E
Papalardo
J
J
Liu
L M
LM
Vilá
J D
JD
Reveille
G S
GS
Alarcón
S S
SS
Pierangeli
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D062072:Patient Acuity; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012107:Research Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002097:C-Reactive Protein