The Effects of Atorvastatin on Arterial Stiffness in Male Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract EN

Statin therapy improves lipid profiles and reduces vascular inflammation, but its effects on central arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes are unclear.

The aim of this study was to determine whether statin therapy reduces central arterial stiffness, in a dose-dependent manner, in male patients with type 2 diabetes.

Fifty-one patients ceased statin therapy for 6 weeks, followed by randomisation to either 10 or 80 mg of atorvastatin.

At randomization, 3 and 12 months, central arterial stiffness was measured via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), along with serum markers of vascular inflammation including high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hsCRP) and osteoprotegerin (OPG).

PWV decreased from 10.37 ± 1.30 to 9.68 ± 1.19 m/sec ( p < 0.01 from baseline) at 3 months and 9.10 ± 1.17 m/sec ( p < 0.001 from baseline) at 12 months.

hsCRP and OPG decreased significantly at 3 and 12 months.

Reductions in PWV did not differ significantly between the groups.

Baseline PWV and OPG values correlated strongly ( r = 0.48 , p < 0.01 ), as did their response to atorvastatin over 12 months ( r = 0.36 delta-OPG and delta-PWV, p < 0.01 ).

Atorvastatin therapy appeared to reduce central arterial stiffness in male type 2 diabetes, with no dose-dependent effect observed.

The correlation observed between reductions in PWV and OPG suggests that atorvastatin reduces PWV via direct anti-inflammatory effects on the vasculature.