Atorvastatin lowers plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients

• Published in: Metabolism, clinical and experimental Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 67 - 71
• Main Authors: Yamada, Satoru, Yanagawa, Tatsuo, Sasamoto, Kazuo, Araki, Atsushi, Miyao, Mariko, Yamanouchi, Toshikazu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Atorvastatin Calcium; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Blood Pressure - physiology; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - classification; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Heptanoic Acids - therapeutic use; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Japan; Liver - enzymology; Liver Function Tests; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Pyrroles - therapeutic use; Asia; Japan; Endocrinopathy; Type 2 diabetes; Human; Lipoprotein LDL; Lipids; Metabolic diseases; Patient; C reactive protein; Japanese; Cholesterol; Blood plasma
• ISSN: 0026-0495; 1532-8600
• DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2005.07.017

We investigated the meaning and the worth of lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to less than 100 mg/dL in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients using atorvastatin. As a multicenter open-labeled study, 84 type 2 diabetic Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia were enrolled between September 2003 and April 2004. Subjects received 16 weeks of treatment with atorvastatin. High-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, interleukin 6, urine albumin-creatinine ratio, hemoglobin A 1c, total cholesterol, and LDL-C were measured at baseline and after 8 and 16 weeks of treatment. According to the Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program, we divided the subjects into responders (final LDL-C <100 mg/dL) and nonresponders (final LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL). After 16 weeks of atorvastatin treatment, as well as a reduction of total cholesterol and LDL-C, a significant reduction of hs-CRP was observed. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and interleukin 6 were not changed. After stratification, hs-CRP declined only in responders. We concluded that atorvastatin not only improved hypercholesterolemia, but also reduced CRP even in Japanese diabetic patients. The results of this stratified study suggest that achievement of the Adult Treatment Panel III treatment goal of LDL-C might assure a reduction of inflammation, which is associated with cardiovascular events.