Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis.2012;1(1):21-28. doi:10.12997/jla.2012.1.1.21
OBJECTIVE: C-reactive protein (CRP), lipoprotein (a)[Lp(a)], and fibrinogen are associated with systemic inflammatory reactions. Statins have anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effect of statins on these parameters is inconsistent. We evaluated the effect of statins on inflammatory markers and variables related to changes in these markers. METHODS: A total of 390 hypercholesterolemic patients were enrolled. Atorvastatin (n=112), lovastatin (n=25), pitavastatin (n=49), rosuvastatin (n=20), and simvastatin (n=184) were administered. Lipids, CRP, Lp(a), and fibrinogen levels were measured before and after 2 months of the therapy. RESULTS: Statins reduced cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels by -28.9+/-9.1% (P=0.000), -41.4+/-12.4% (P=0.000), and -11.6+/-39.4% (P=0.000), respectively and increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level by 2.56+/-13.2% (P=0.014). CRP levels decreased from 1.23+/-1.30 to 1.14+/-1.29 mg/L (P=0.000). Lp(a) levels were not changed (P=0.91) and fibrinogen levels increased from 277.8+/-54.4 to 282.6+/-56.9 mg/dL (P=0.042). Changes in CRP levels were associated with baseline CRP levels (r=-0.56, P=0.000) and changes in HDL cholesterol levels (r=-0.14, P=0.005). Changes in Lp(a) levels were associated with changes in triglyceride (r=-0.24, P=0.000) and baseline aspartate aminotransferase level (r=0.12, P=0.015). Changes in fibrinogen levels were associated with baseline fibrinogen levels (r=-0.40, P=0.000), sex (r=0.18, P=0.001), and changes in HDL cholesterol levels (r=-0.15, P=0.003). CONCLUSION: Inflammatory markers showed different responses to statins and changes in these markers were associated with different parameters. This finding suggests that anti-inflammatory effect of statin is confined to a specific pathway of inflammation.
Aspartate Aminotransferases
;
C-Reactive Protein
;
Cholesterol
;
Cholesterol, HDL
;
Fibrinogen
;
Fluorobenzenes
;
Heptanoic Acids
;
Humans
;
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
;
Inflammation
;
Lipoprotein(a)
;
Lipoproteins
;
Lovastatin
;
Pyrimidines
;
Pyrroles
;
Quinolines
;
Simvastatin
;
Sulfonamides
;
Atorvastatin Calcium
;
Rosuvastatin Calcium