title: Effect of Atorvastatin on the Disease Activity and Severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3- methylglutary lcoenzyme A) reductase inhibitors (statins) have anti-inflammatory properties which may be particularly useful in rheumatoid arthritis to suppress disease activity and inflammatory factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this clinical trial was to determine anti-inflammatory properties of statins in rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty Iranian patients with rheumatoid arthritis, aged between 19 to 75 years were recruited to take part in this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups to take atorvastatin or placebo 40 mg daily as an adjunct to current disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) treatment. Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), swollen joint count (SJC) & tender joint count (TJC) were assessed before and after three months intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis was based on intention to treat. DAS28 significantly declined in the atorvastatin group in comparison with placebo (p< 0.001). SJC, TJC, CRP and ESR also were significantly dropped in the atorvastatin group in comparison with placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that atorvastatin can suppress RA activity and inflmmatory factors in RA patients for high to moderate grade of inflmmation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty, Department of Rheumatology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran .
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mowla
authors.affiliation: Faculty, Department of Rheumatology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran .
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rajai
authors.affiliation: Faculty, Department of Nephrology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran .
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbani
authors.affiliation: Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran .
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dargahi-Malamir
authors.affiliation: Medical Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran .
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahadoram
authors.affiliation: Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences Programmes, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia .
authors.forename: Shooka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
keywords: Anti-inflammatory agents; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HMG-CoA; Swollen joint count; Tender joint count