title: Statin treatment alters serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio in patients with dyslipidemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of statins on serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) levels have not been fully evaluated. We examined the effects of two types of statins (rosuvastatin and pitavastatin) on serum PUFAs levels and their ratios in patients with dyslipidemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 46 patients who were not receiving lipid-lowering therapy were randomly assigned to receive either 2.5 mg/day of rosuvastatin or 2 mg/day of pitavastatin. Serum PUFAs levels were measured at baseline, at 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks. Rosuvastatin was used to treat 23 patients, and the remaining 23 patients were treated using pitavastatin. Serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels decreased significantly at 12 weeks in both groups (rosuvastatin: from 169.6 to 136.3 μg/mL, p = 0.006; pitavastatin: from 188.6 to 153.9 μg/mL, p = 0.03). However, serum levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and arachidonic acid (AA) did not change. In addition, the EPA/AA ratio did not change, whereas the DHA/AA ratio decreased significantly at 12 weeks in both groups (rosuvastatin: from 0.99 to 0.80, p = 0.01; pitavastatin: from 1.14 to 0.91, p = 0.003). No adverse events were observed during the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small, open-label, pilot study, rosuvastatin and pitavastatin decreased serum DHA levels and the DHA/AA ratio in patients with dyslipidemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama Sakae Kyosai Hospital, Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Associations, 132 Katsura-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama, 247-8581, Japan. nozue2493@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nozue
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama Sakae Kyosai Hospital, Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Associations, 132 Katsura-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama, 247-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Michishita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011804:Quinolines; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; C108475:pitavastatin