Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012046 | Pharmacological Reports | 2010 | 5 Pages |
The aim of our study was to assess the effect of atorvastatin (20 mg) on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with aortic sclerosis or mild aortic stenosis. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effect of statin therapy was compared between hypercholesterolemic and non-hypercholesterolemic patients.We enrolled 33 patients with aortic sclerosis or mild aortic stenosis (AS) (18 males and 15 females, mean age 70 ± 8 years). Plasma levels of the following biomarkers were measured: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Atorvastatin (20 mg) was used for four weeks. All three biomarkers of inflammation significantly decreased after atorvastatin: CRP from 4.08 ± 3.72 to 2.97 ± 3.26 µg/ml (p < 0.05), IL-6 from 20.66 ± 20.05 to 13.36 ± 11.21 pg/ml (p < 0.05) and MCP-1 from 271.08 ± 85.72 to 213.24 ± 115.09 pg/ml (p < 0.05). No differences in the levels of these biomarkers were shown in a comparison between 17 patients with hypercholesterolemia and 16 patients without hypercholesterolemia.In patients in the early stages of aortic valve disease (with aortic sclerosis or mild AS), atorvastatin at a dose of 20 mg reduced the biomarkers of inflammation.