The impact of early administration of low-dose atorvastatin treatment on inflammatory process, in patients with unstable angina and low cholesterol level.

Journal article

BACKGROUND: Lipid-lowering agents are known to reduce long-term mortality in patients with stable angina or multiple risk factors. However, the effects of lipid-lowering treatment on inflammatory process during and immediately after the acute phase of unstable angina remain unclear. In this study we assessed the effects of low-dose atorvastatin treatment, on inflammatory process in patients admitted for unstable angina with low cholesterol level. METHODS: Forty-seven normocholesterolemic patients with unstable angina were randomized into two groups, and received atorvastatin 10 mg/day (n = 24) or no statin (n = 23) for 6 weeks. Circulating levels of inteleukin 6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) were measured by their admission, and at the 1st and 6th week of the study. RESULTS: Serum levels of MCP-1 and sVCAM-1 were significantly increased in the control group (p < 0.05) while remained unaffected in the atorvastatin-treated group six weeks after admission. However, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels were similarly decreased in both atorvastatin-treated and control groups. CONCLUSION: Low-dose atorvastatin treatment modifies inflammatory process in patients with unstable angina and low cholesterol level, an effect seen at 6 weeks but not 1 week after admission.

Authors: Tousoulis, D; Antoniades, C; Katsi, V; Bosinakou, E; Kotsopoulou, M

• Journal: International journal of cardiology
• Volume: 109
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 48-52
• Publication date: 2006-04-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2005.05.055
• EISSN: 1874-1754
• ISSN: 0167-5273
• Language: English
• Keywords: Humans; Chemokine CCL2; Heptanoic Acids; Prospective Studies; Pyrroles; Angina, Unstable; Female; Anticholesteremic Agents; Interleukin-6; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; Inflammation; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Male; Middle Aged; Time Factors; Cholesterol