title: Different cardiometabolic effects of atorvastatin in men with normal vitamin D status and vitamin D insufficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D is suggested to reduce cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Circulating levels of plasma lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors may differ between statin-treated patients with different vitamin D status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 3 age- and weight-matched groups of men with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels: vitamin D-naïve men with vitamin D insufficiency (group A, n = 18), men with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency effectively treated with vitamin D preparations (group B, n = 16), and vitamin D-naïve men with normal vitamin D status (group C, n = 16). All patients were then treated with atorvastatin (20 mg daily) for 4 months. Plasma lipids, glucose homeostasis markers, and plasma levels of uric acid, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), homocysteine, and fibrinogen were assessed before and at the end of atorvastatin therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study groups did not differ in baseline levels of plasma lipids. Men with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency effectively treated with vitamin D preparations were characterized by decreased insulin sensitivity and higher circulating levels of hsCRP, homocysteine, and fibrinogen in comparison with the remaining groups of patients. Although atorvastatin decreased plasma levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C to a similar extent in all study groups, its effect on uric acid, hsCRP, homocysteine, and fibrinogen was more pronounced in patients from groups B and C than in men from group A. Moreover, in patients with vitamin D insufficiency, atorvastatin impaired insulin sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results indicate that the strength of pleiotropic effects of atorvastatin depends on vitamin D status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krysiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.|Department of Cardiology, Provincial Hospital, Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Okopień
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D014815:Vitamins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; D000069059:Atorvastatin
keywords: cardiovascular risk; pleiotropic effects; statins; vitamin D