Simvastatin exerts its anti-inflammatory effect in hypercholesterolaemic patients by decreasing the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2008-02, Vol.124 (2), p.271-272
• Main Authors: Rallidis, Loukianos S, Hamodraka, Eftichia S, Fountoulaki, Katerina, Moustogiannis, Georgios, Zolindaki, Maria G, Kremastinos, Dimitrios T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Amyloid - blood; Amyloid - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; C-Reactive Protein - drug effects; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Chemokine CCL2 - blood; Chemokine CCL2 - drug effects; Cytokines - drug effects; Cytokines - metabolism; Diet; Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypercholesterolaemia; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - diagnosis; Hypercholesterolemia - drug therapy; Inflammatory markers; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Probability; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Simvastatin; Simvastatin - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2006.12.059

Abstract Aim To assess the effect of simvastatin on serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, macrophage colony stimulating factor, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A in hypercholesterolaemic patients without coronary heart disease. Methods Sixty consecutive hypercholesterolaemic patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 process to 40 mg of simvastatin daily ( n = 40) and to hypolipidaemic only diet ( n = 20) for 3 months. Blood was taken at baseline and at the end of the study and analysed for lipids and inflammatory markers. Results From the inflammatory markers only MCP-1 was decreased significantly (217.4 ± 48 versus 177 ± 75 pg/ml, p < 0.001) after treatment with simvastatin and this reduction was independent of lipid changes. Conclusion Simvastatin significantly decreases only MCP-1 levels in hypercholesterolaemic patients suggesting that this molecule is probably a sensitive marker to detect the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin in blood.