title: Atorvastatin treatment improves effects of implanted mesenchymal stem cells: meta-analysis of animal models with acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies reported that Atorvastatin (ATOR) can improve the efficacy of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the results of those studies were inconsistent. To clarify the beneficial effects of atorvastatin added to the cell therapy with MSCs in animal model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Searches were performed using the PubMed database, the Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), the Science Citation Index, the China National Knowledge Information database, the Wanfang database, and the Chinese Scientific and Technological Journal Database (VIP database). The search term included "Atorvastatin (or Ator)", "Mesenchymal Stem Cells (or Mesenchymal Stem Cell or MSC or MSCs)" and "Acute Myocardial Infarction (or Myocardial Infarction or AMI or MI)". The endpoints were the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in animal model with AMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 5 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis indicated a significant LVEF difference at 4 weeks follow-up between MSCs + ATOR combine group and MSCs alone group (95 % CI, 9.09-13.62 %; P < 0.01) with heterogeneity (P = 0.28; P >0.05) and inconsistency (I(2): 22 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atorvastatin can enhance the existing effects of MSCs transplantation, and this combinational therapy is a superior cell/pharmacological therapeutic approach that merits future preclinical and clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. guodai@126.com.
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 631087144@qq.com.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. luorong77@qq.com.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 562204180@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jianfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 1292950669@qq.com.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 1589150095@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 602582389@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yongqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 1060604857@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yuequn
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. 1025084201@qq.com.
authors.forename: Wuzhou
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: The Center for Heart Development, Key Laboratory of MOE for Developmental Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, P. R. China. xiushanwu@yahoo.com.|The Center for Heart Development, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, P. R. China. xiushanwu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Xiushan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000069059:Atorvastatin