title: Statins are not associated with short-term improved aneurysm healing in a rabbit model of unruptured aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Owing to their anti-inflammatory effects and ability to stimulate production of extracellular matrix and chemotactic migration of mesenchymal progenitor cells, statins could potentially improve aneurysm healing after endovascular treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that systemic administration of simvastatin would improve aneurysm healing in a rabbit model of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental aneurysms were created in female rabbits and were embolized with platinum coils. Six rabbits served as controls and six rabbits received oral administration of simvastatin. Digital subtraction angiography was used to evaluate stability after embolization. Subjects were euthanized 4 weeks after coil embolization. Histologic samples were examined with a grading system (0-12) based on neck and dome features. Aneurysm occlusion data were compared using a Student t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in the mean aneurysm size were found between groups. No coil compaction occurred in either group. All aneurysms in both the statin and control groups showed stable occlusion. There were no significant differences in the histologic grade of occlusion in either group (statin group 2.6±0.8 vs control group 2.7±3.2, p=0.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic statin administration after platinum coil embolization of unruptured aneurysms in a rabbit model does not improve aneurysm occlusion rates at 4 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brinjikji
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yong Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Daying
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Dana J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9676-232X
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kallmes
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Ramanathan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kadirvel
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: Aneurysm; Coil