Effects of simvastatin on lipid levels and platelet activation in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia

Background and Objective To investigate the effects of simvastatin on lipid lowering therapy and platelet activation in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia. Methods Fasting serum lipids, CD63, CD41a, serum glucose, hepatic and renal function, routine urine analysis (UA) were measured in 50 healthy subjects, and in 50 elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia before and after 4 weeks treatment with simvastatin (20mg daily for 4 weeks). Results 1. After simvastatin treatment for 4 weeks, the fasting serum level of lipids in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia was significantly lower than before treatment (P<0.01). 2. CD63 and CD41a were decreased after treatment compared with before, respectively (1.36 0.34) vs (4.26 1.06), (P<0.01) and (123.54 19.73) vs (253.78 16.75), (P<0.01). 3. Changes in serum lipid level tended to be positively correlated with the declines in CD63 and CD41a, but there was no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusions The results suggested that lipid lowering therapy with simvastatin inhibit platelet activity.(J Geriatr Cardiol 2007;4:215-217.)     

辛伐他汀对血脂异常人群缺血性脑卒中的预防

目的研究辛伐他汀对血脂异常人群缺血性脑卒中的预防作用。方法将2853例血脂异常人群分为预防组(693例)和对照组(2160例),预防组给予辛伐他汀20mg/d,睡前口服。分析2组血脂变化、心脑血管事件、脑卒中等差异。结果预防组受试者糖尿病患病率比对照组高,预防组随访率98．7%,对照组随访率96．2%。预防组低密度脂蛋白胆固醇较对照组低[(2．54±1．01)mmol/L vs(4．12±1．29)mmol/L,P＜0．05],5年生存率高(94．13% vs 83．47%,P＜0．01),缺血性脑卒中和心脑血管事件发生率低。2组死亡的主要原因是:心脑血管疾病、肿瘤和感染。吸烟、高血压、肥胖和糖尿病是脑卒中和心脑血管事件的高危因素。结论辛伐他汀能有效降低血脂异常人群的心脑血管事件。     

辛伐他汀对原发性高胆固醇血症患者血管内皮功能的影响

目的探讨辛伐他汀对原发性高胆固醇血症患者血管内皮功能的影响。方法选择原发性高胆固醇血症患者48例口服辛伐他汀,分别于治疗前、治疗后4周和8周进行血浆内皮素-1（ET-1）、血清一氧化氮（NO）和血脂等指标测定;另选15例健康体检者为对照。结果治疗前高胆固醇血症患者组血浆ET-1显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,而NO显著低于对照组（P<0.01）;辛伐他汀治疗4周后,ET-1、胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白、三酰甘油均显著降低（P<0.01）,NO显著升高（P<0.05）,高密度脂蛋白虽亦升高,但无统计学意义;8周后血浆ET-1继续降低,血清NO继续升高,但两者与健康对照组比较,无统计学意义。结论高胆固醇血症患者存在明显的内皮功能损害;辛伐他汀不仅能够显著降低血脂,而且能够改善血管内皮功能。     

C-reactive protein in children with obstructive sleep apnea and the effects of treatment

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in children with OSA and to determine the effects of treatment for OSA on its serum concentration. METHODS: Consecutive children with habitual snoring and symptoms suggestive of OSA were recruited. They completed a sleep apnea symptom questionnaire, underwent physical examination and an overnight polysomnography (PSG). Fasting serum CRP and lipid profile were taken after overnight PSG. OSA was diagnosed if obstructive apnea index (OAI)>1. RESULTS: One hundred forty-one children with a median (IQR) age of 10.8 (8.5-12.8) years were recruited. There were 96 boys and the commonest presenting symptoms were nocturnal mouth breathing, prone sleeping position and poor attention at school. Forty-five children were found to have OSA and those with moderate disease (OAI>5) had significantly higher CRP levels compared to their non-OSA counterparts [1.3 (0.8-3.6) vs. 0.7 (0.2-2.0), P=0.01]. Stepwise linear multiple regression analysis indicated that OAI was independently associated with CRP (beta coefficient=0.013, P=0.001). Sixteen children underwent treatment and there was significant reduction in their serum CRP after intervention [pre vs. post-CRP, 1.3 (0.6-4.1) vs. 0.4 (0.2-1.3), P=0.033]. A significant correlation was also demonstrated between change in CRP and change in OAI (r=0.593, P=0.042) following treatment for OSA. CONCLUSION: Children with OSA may have associated systemic inflammation as reflected by a raised CRP that decreased significantly following treatment.     

Effect of simvastatin on high density lipoprotein subfractions and apolipoproteins in Type IIa hypercholesterolemia

Summary Changes in plasma concentrations of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglycerides may partly explain the ability of cholesterol-lowering drugs to decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease. We measured the response of fasting plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins in 46 subjects with Type IIa hypercholesterolemia treated with simvastatin for 3 months. The initial dose of simvastatin (10 mg/day) was subsequently increased up to 40 mg/day if the plasma cholesterol concentration had not fallen below 5.2 mmol/l. Plasma concentrations of HDL cholesterol and of the apolipoproteins AI and AII were increased by simvastatin. The increase in HDL cholesterol (9%) was due to increases in both subfractions (HDL₂ 17%; HDL₃ 7%), changes that would be consistent with a beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk. Simvastatin decreased plasma triglyceride concentrations by 25%. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations fell by 35% after 3 months of treatment; this fall was proportional to the initial concentration and was due almost entirely to a 45% fall in low density lipoprotein cholesterol. In contrast, plasma concentrations of lipoprotein Lp(a) were not affected by simvastatin.     

急性冠脉综合征早期辛伐他汀治疗对血脂和炎症反应标记物的影响

目的　观察急性冠脉综合征 (ACS)早期辛伐他汀治疗对血脂和炎症反应标记物的影响及差异 ,探讨他汀类药物在ACS早期治疗中的作用。　方法　ACS住院患者 12 3例 ,入院后测定血浆甘油三酯 (TG)、总胆固醇(TC)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇 (LDL C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇 (HDL C)、白细胞介素 6 (IL 6 )和C反应蛋白 (CRP)水平 ,然后随机分为辛伐他汀治疗组和非辛伐他汀治疗组。出院时重复测定上述指标。同期测定 15例慢性稳定性心绞痛 (CAP)患者和 15名健康者作对照比较。　结果　 1 ACS患者血浆TC、LDL C、IL 6、CRP显著高于健康者 (P <0 0 1) ,血浆LDL C、IL 6显著高于CAP患者 (P <0 0 1)。 2 出院与入院时比较 ,辛伐他汀组和非辛伐他汀组血浆IL 6、CRP显著降低 (P <0 0 1) ,出院时辛伐他汀组血浆IL 6、CRP也显著低于非辛伐他汀组 (P <0 0 1)。 3 据入院时血浆IL 6、CRP水平 ,把ACS患者分别分为IL 6、CRP高值组和低值组 ,出院与入院时比较 ,高值组和低值组血浆IL 6、CRP均显著降低 (P<0 0 1,P<0 0 1) ,但只有高值组 ,出院时辛伐他汀治疗者血浆IL 6、CRP显著低于非辛伐他汀治疗者 (P <0 0 1,P <0 0 5 )。　结论　ACS患者早期辛伐他汀治疗有明显抗炎症作用。     

Lipid-altering efficacy and safety of simvastatin 80 mg/day: long-term experience in a large group of patients with hypercholesterolemia. World Wide Expanded Dose Simvastatin Study Group

BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol promote the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. HYPOTHESIS: Simvastatin 80 mg/day will be more effective than simvastatin 40 mg/day at reducing LDL cholesterol and will be well tolerated. METHODS: Two similar, randomized, multicenter, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, 48-week studies were performed to evaluate the long-term lipid-altering efficacy and safety of simvastatin 80 mg/day in patients with hypercholesterolemia. One study conducted in the US enrolled patients meeting the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) LDL cholesterol criteria for pharmacologic treatment. In the other multinational study, patients with LDL cholesterol levels > or = 4.2 mmol/l were enrolled. At 20 centers in the US and 19 countries world-wide, 1,105 hypercholesterolemic patients, while on a lipid-lowering diet, were randomly assigned at a ratio of 2:3 to receive simvastatin 40 mg (n = 436) or 80 mg (n = 669) once daily for 24 weeks. Those patients completing an initial 24-week base study were enrolled in a 24-week blinded extension. Patients who had started on the 80 mg dose in the base study continued on the same dose in the extension, while those who had started on the 40 mg dose were rerandomized at a 1:1 ratio to simvastatin 40 or 80 mg in the extension. RESULTS: There was a significant advantage in the LDL cholesterol-lowering effect of the 80 mg dose compared with that of the 40 mg dose, which was maintained over the 48 weeks of treatment. The mean percentage reductions (95% confidence intervals) from baseline in LDL cholesterol for the 40 and 80 mg groups were 41% (42, 39) and 47% (48, 46), respectively, for the 24-week base study, and 41% (43, 39) and 46% (47, 45), respectively, after 48 weeks of treatment (p < 0.001 between groups). Larger reductions in total cholesterol and triglycerides were also observed with the 80 mg dose compared with the 40 mg dose at Weeks 24 and 48. Both doses were well tolerated, with close to 95% of patients enrolled completing the entire 48 weeks of treatment. Myopathy (muscle symptoms plus creatine kinase increase > 10 fold upper limit of normal) and clinically significant hepatic transaminase increases (> 3 times the upper limit of normal) occurred infrequently with both doses. There was no significant difference between the groups in the number of patients with such increases, although there were more cases for both with the 80 mg dose. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the 40 mg dose, simvastatin 80 mg produced greater reductions in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Both doses were well tolerated.     

C反应蛋白增高在心房颤动中的意义

目的 :探讨C反应蛋白 (CRP)增高在心房颤动 (房颤 )发病中的意义。方法 :应用免疫比浊法测定 96例诊断为房颤患者血清CRP水平 ,与对照组比较 ,并对房颤按持续时间、病因不同分设亚组 ,进行统计学分析。结果 :房颤组、对照组血清CRP水平分别为 (4 .30± 2 .87)、(1.15± 0 .90 )mg L ,两组相比P <0 .0 5。器质性、孤立性房颤者CRP水平分别为 (5 .0 6± 1.92 )、(4 .37± 1.32 )mg L ,均高于对照组 ,P <0 .0 5。持续性、永久性房颤者CRP水平分别为 (5 .6 0± 1.80 )、(5 .0 0± 1.6 0 )mg L ,均高于阵发性房颤 [(3.30± 1.2 0 )mg L],P <0 .0 5。结论 :CRP增高反映的炎症状态可能促进房颤发生 ,以及呈持续性发作。     

Comparative analysis of Bayer wide-range C-reactive protein (wr-CRP) and the Dade-Behring high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

OBJECTIVE: The recently introduced Bayer wide‐range C‐reactive protein (wr‐CRP) assay might be relevant for the real‐time low‐cost and online determination of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. Our aim was to examine whether wr‐CRP can substitute for the Dade Behring high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) assay in IBD patients. METHODS: A total of 71 patients with IBD, of whom 48 had Crohn's disease CD and 23 had ulcerative colitis (UC) with various intensities of disease activity participated in the study. The CRP of patients who were under treatment at the Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases were measured using both wr‐CRP and the hs‐CRP. RESULTS: A significant (r = 0.995; P < 0.001) correlation was noted between the hs‐CRP and wr‐CRP measurements for the whole sample as well as for the two diseases, CD (r = 0.994; P < 0.001) and UC (r = 0.997; P < 0.001), which were analyzed separately. CONCLUSION: The Bayer wr‐CRP assay might be a useful low‐cost and real‐time inflammation‐sensitive biomarker in patients with IBD.     

Effects of combining simvastatin with rosiglitazone on inflammation, oxidant stress and ambulatory blood pressure in patients with the metabolic syndrome: the SIROCO study

Aim: Individually, statins and thiazolidinediones (TZDs) show positive effects on atherosclerosis progression in cellular and animal models as well as patients with diabetes; however, their combined effects have not been studied. This study examines the effects of simvastatin combined with rosiglitazone on vascular inflammation, oxidant stress, ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and other atherosclerotic factors in patients with the metabolic syndrome. Methods: This is a randomized, double blind, placebo‐controlled study in 53 subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomized to simvastatin 40 mg/day plus placebo vs. simvastatin 40 mg/day plus rosiglitazone 4 mg/day for 6 months. The primary endpoint was the between‐group difference in high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and secondary variables including urinary isoprostanes, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), ambulatory BP, adiponectin, and lipid and glycaemic profiles. Results: At study end, the group randomized to the simvastatin/rosiglitazone combination had a greater reduction in hs‐CRP of 1.33 mg/dl, (p = 0.029) and showed a trend for a greater reduction in urinary isoprostane (?39%), (p = 0.056) compared to simvastatin/placebo group. Changes in MDA levels did not differed between groups (p = 0.81). 24‐h systolic blood pressure (SBP) also showed a 4.5 mmHg reduction at 6 months (p = 0.06). Adiponectin levels increased by 3.91 µg/ml in the combination group over placebo, (p = 0.03) and blood glucose decreased in combination group vs. placebo. Conclusion: Our data show that patients with the metabolic syndrome given a statin/TZD combination manifest greater reductions in markers of vascular inflammation and oxidant stress, 24‐h ambulatory BP and increases in adiponectin as well as improved glycaemic indices.     

Treatment of hypercholesterolemia with the HMG CoA reductase inhibitor,simvastatin

Summary We report the results of a two center study on the use of the HMG Co A reductase inhibitor, simvastatin, in 44 patients suffering from familial hypercholesterolemia or from primary hypercholesterolemia of unknown etiology. The study included two separate phases: Phase I was part of a multicenter, 4-week, placebo-controlled trial; phase II was a 6-month, open extension trial, the object of which was to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels to below the 50th percentile by increasing the dose of simvastatin, by the use of additional lipid-lowering medication, or both. Our phase I results were commensurate with those reported for the entire international cohort of 272 patients, indicating a clear dose-response relationship, with approximately 75% of the maximum reduction in LDL-C levels being achieved with 20 mg/day and over 90% of the maximum being achieved with 40 mg of simvastatin per day. In the open extension trial, the results from the 2 centers were essentially similar. Total cholesterol fell by 29% on the 20 mg/day dose and by 34% on the full dose of 40 mg/day. LDL-C levels were reduced by 40% on the 40 mg/day schedule, and triglycerides also fell to between 20% and 40% below baseline values. HDL-C concentration rose by 14% and 17.6%. The effects of simvastatin were uniform, both within and between the two cohorts. The addition of cholestyramine caused a further substantial reduction in LDL-cholesterol to below 55% of the initial value in four patients, whereas bezafibrate further enhanced the fall in triglycerides and the increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but had only a slight effect on LDL-C levels. Adverse reactions included asymptomatic increases in plasma creatine kinase activity, generally associated with previous physical exertion, and transient rises in transaminase levels. In one patient with a history of alcoholic excess, transaminase levels were persistently greater than normal. These results indicate that the HMG Co A reductase inhibitor, simvastatin, is a powerful therapeutic agent for the lowering of plasma cholesterol levels in patients with genetic hypercholesterolemia.     

C反应蛋白和前白蛋白在AECOPD中的临床意义

目的观察AECOPD患者血清C-反应蛋白(C-reactive protein,CRP)、及前白蛋白(preal-bumin,PA)的变化,探讨其与病情严重程度及预后的关系。方法监测152例AECOPD患者入院后第1、3、5、7天CRP和PA水平,根据患者的预后将患者分成死亡与非死亡组,根据住院日数以14日为界分为两组,结果死亡组及非死亡组第1、2天CRP水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),第3、5、7天死亡组患者CRP明显高于非死亡组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),死亡组PA在第5、7天明显低于非死亡组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),结论 AECOPD患者病情越重,CRP水平升高越明显,PA水平呈持续下降趋势。     

Comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin and atorvastatin in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia

BACKGROUND: Simvastatin and atorvastatin are effective statins for treating hypercholesterolemia. HYPOTHESIS: The study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin 20 and 40 mg/day and atorvastatin 10 and 20 mg/day. METHODS: In this multinational, open-label, crossover study, 258 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia were randomized after 4 weeks of diet plus placebo to once-daily administration of a starting dose sequence of simvastatin (20 mg) or atorvastatin (10 mg), or a higher dose sequence of simvastatin (40 mg) or atorvastatin (20 mg) for 6 weeks. Patients were then switched after a 1-week washout to the corresponding starting or higher dose of the alternate drug for a second 6-week period. The primary endpoint was the mean percent change from baseline to Week 6 in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol; percent changes from baseline in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B were also compared. Safety was assessed through adverse experiences and laboratory measurements. RESULTS: Both statins produced statistically significant improvements in all measured plasma lipids and lipoproteins. The main treatment comparison showed no statistically significant difference in changes in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, whereby the overall effects were comparable when doses of 20 mg and 40 mg of simvastatin were compared with atorvastatin 10 mg and 20 mg. The mean percent reductions for LDL cholesterol from baseline to Week 6 ranged from 35-42% for the entire study cohort. An LDL cholesterol level < or = 130 mg/dl (3.4 mmol/l) was achieved in approximately 70% of patients treated with both drugs in this study. Simvastatin and atorvastatin were well tolerated at the doses studied. CONCLUSION: In patients with hypercholesterolemia, the most commonly used doses of simvastatin and atorvastatin produced similar changes in LDL cholesterol and achieved an LDL cholesterol level < or = 130 mg/dl (3.4 mmol/l) in a similar number of patients. Both statins were well tolerated.     

The effects of prior beta-blocker therapy on serum C-reactive protein levels after percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND: There are no studies in the literature related to the effect of beta blockers (BB) on changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). HYPOTHESIS: We designed a prospective randomized study to investigate the impact of BB therapy on CRP in patients who underwent elective PCI. METHODS: In all, 300 patients with coronary artery disease were included. Patients were randomized to either a metoprolol or to a control group before PCI. Blood samples for CRP levels were obtained before BB treatment, and at the 6th, 24th, and 36th h after PCI. RESULTS: Of 300 patients, 150 received metoprolol 100 mg/day (mean age, 59.0 +/- 10.2 years; 106 men, 44 women), and 150 received no BB (mean age, 59.8 +/- 9.8 years; 114 men, 36 women) and served as the control group. Baseline clinical characteristics of both groups were similar. Basal CRP levels between the two groups were similar. Of the patients included in the study, 40.8% in the BB group and 39.6% in the control group had elevated basal CRP levels. The CRP levels increased above baseline values in 85% of patients in the BB group and in 89.3% of patients in the control group (p > 0.05) during follow-up. The CRP levels in patients in the BB group at the 6th, 24th, and 36th h were lower than those in the control group; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Prior BB therapy seems to have no effect on CRP levels after PCI.     

Comparison of the efficacy of simvastatin and standard fibrate therapy in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia and combined hyperlipidemia

Five multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were conducted in France to compare the efficacy and safety of once-daily simvastatin treatment (10–40 mg/day) with conventional therapy with gemfibrozil 900 mg/day, ciprofibrate 100 mg/day, bezafibrate 400 mg/day, and fenofibrate 300 or 400 mg/day in a total of 800 patients with hypercholesterolemia. Simvastatin was associated with statistically significantly greater (p ? 0.01) mean percent reductions in plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol compared with each of the five fibrate regimens, even when administered at its recommended starting dose of 10 mg/day. Furthermore, approximately 90% of patients treated once daily with simvastatin experienced an at least 20% decrease in plasma LDL cholesterol compared with only 36 to 68% of patients treated with the individual fibrate agents (p ? 0.05). The effectiveness of simvastatin in reducing LDL cholesterol did not differ as a function of the baseline plasma concentrations of total cholesterol or triglycerides. In contrast, the effectiveness of fibrate therapy in lowering plasma LDL cholesterol levels was significantly diminished (p ? 0.05) among patients with triglyceride concentrations > 1.7 mmol/1. Plasma highdensity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were increased by approximately 10% after treatment with simvastatin or the fibrates. Although fibrate therapy was more effective overall in lowering plasma triglyceride levels, the effectiveness of simvastatin in reducing plasma triglyceride levels was generally 2- to 4-fold greater in patients with hypercholesterolemia associated with triglyceride levels ? 2.3 mmol/1 than in those with hypercholesterolemia associated with triglyceride levels < 2.3 mmol/1. The results of these studies confirm the superiority of simvastatin to standard fibrate therapy in reducing plasma levels of total and LDL cholesterol. They further indicate that once-daily treatment with simvastatin is effective in patients with isolated hypercholesterolemia or hypercholesterolemia associated with elevated triglyceride levels.     

Associations between C-reactive protein and circulating cell adhesion molecules in patients with unstable angina undergoing coronary intervention and their clinical implication

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that C-reactive protein (CRP) may have a direct role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to assess associations between CRP and adhesion molecules and to determine the prognostic value of adhesion molecules as a predictor of cardiac events in patients with unstable angina. METHODS: Fifty-five consecutive patients (33 males, mean age 61 years) with unstable angina (Braunwald class IIb or IIIb) undergoing coronary stenting were included in this study. RESULTS: The test for a trend toward increasing intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 concentrations by the 75th percentile of CRP levels at 72 h after coronary stenting was significant (p = 0.03). At 72 h after coronary stenting, CRP levels were the only determinants of ICAM-1 concentrations by multiple linear regression analysis. An elevated level of CRP (>5.4 mg/l) (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-3.7, p < 0.05) and ICAM-1 (>321 ng/ml) (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-2.1, p < 0.05) at 72 h after coronary stenting is an independent risk factor for an adverse cardiac event. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in patients with unstable angina undergoing coronary stenting, the measurements of inflammatory parameters, especially CRP and ICAM-1, may be useful for identifying those at higher risk of a cardiac event, and CRP may play a direct role in promoting the inflammatory component of atherosclerosis by inducing significant expression of ICAM-1.     

冠心病患者C反应蛋白的临床意义及阿司匹林的影响

目的 :探讨 C反应蛋白 (CRP)与冠心病 (CHD)的关系及阿司匹林对其的影响。方法 :观察 6 9例冠状动脉单支狭窄 >6 0 %的 CHD患者 ,35例正常对照者及 31例病例对照者的 CRP浓度及不同剂量的阿司匹林对CRP浓度的影响 ,及 CRP浓度的高低与冠状动脉狭窄程度的关系。结果 :CHD患者的 CRP浓度较正常对照组显著增高 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,大剂量的阿司匹林可降低 CHD患者的 CRP浓度 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,CRP浓度与冠状动脉狭窄程度正相关 (r =0 .5 3,P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :CRP浓度可作为评价冠状动脉病变严重程度的一个参考指标     

C-reactive protein in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: no effect of simvastatin therapy

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are especially at risk for premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent studies revealed C-reactive protein (CRP) as a strong predictor of future first or recurrent CVD events, suggesting that CRP plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of one year of simvastatin treatment on serum levels of CRP and to assess the influence of risk factors for CVD on CRP concentrations in patients with FH. We measured baseline CRP levels in 337 patients with FH. A second blood sample, collected after one year of treatment with simvastatin (20--40 mg once daily) was measured in a subgroup of 129 patients. Patients with CVD present at baseline had significantly higher serum levels of CRP (2.26 mg/l versus 1.55 mg/l, P<0.001). CRP levels were associated with smoking, body mass index, age, levels of triglycerides (TG), and the use of NSAIDs or anticoagulation drugs. Simvastatin therapy significantly improved lipid profiles in the intervention group. There was a small, but non-significant decrease of CRP levels upon treatment. CRP decreased from 1.51 mg/l median (interquartile range (IQR) 0.76--3.41) at baseline to 1.24 mg/l median (IQR 0.72--2.92) after treatment, (P=0.328). In conclusion, CRP levels were associated with the presence of CVD in FH patients. Simvastatin therapy had no significant effect on CRP levels in these patients.     

C-reactive protein and coronary heart disease: a critical review

Modestly elevated baseline concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), the classical acute phase protein, are associated with the long-term risk of coronary heart disease in general populations, whilst the major acute phase response of CRP following myocardial infarction is associated with death and cardiac complications. The pathogenic and clinical significance of these associations is controversial. Here we critically review the evidence and describe large-scale epidemiological studies, novel experiments and possible specific therapies which will rigorously inform the debate. We distinguish between the potential pathogenicity of high acute phase circulating CRP concentrations in individuals with substantial tissue damage and modest but persistent increases in baseline values in generally healthy subjects.