Studies in animals and humans indicate a pivotal role for adhesion molecules (AMs) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Whereas an association between hypercholesterolaemia and AM expression has been suggested, it is unclear whether lowering cholesterol decreases AM expression and release. We compared the effects of a 3-month treatment with standard doses of three different statins (atorvastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin) on plasma levels of circulating AM (cAM) in 75 hypercholesterolaemic patients in a randomized clinical trial. Plasma levels of circulating (c)E-selectin, circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (cICAM-1) and circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (cVCAM-1) were measured before and after 3 months of therapy. None of the statins lowered plasma cAM levels and pooled analyses of all patients showed a 1.7% [95% confidence interval (CI), -1.4–4.9%] increase in cE-selectin, a 2.1% (95% CI, -0.2–4.4%) increase in cICAM-1, and a 2.7% (95% CI, -0.6–6.1%) increase in cVCAM-1 levels. cAM levels did not decrease, even in patients with a >50% decrease (n = 19) in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. This study provides strong evidence that 3 months of therapy with three different statins does not decrease cAM levels, despite normalization of cholesterol levels, and a minor decrease in C-reactive protein levels in patients with moderate hypercholesterolaemia.
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Research Article|
January 17 2003
Levels of adhesion molecules do not decrease after 3 months of statin therapy in moderate hypercholesterolaemia
Bernd JILMA;
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Correspondence: Dr Bernd Jilma at Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria (e-mail [email protected]).
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Christian JOUKHADAR;
Christian JOUKHADAR
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Ulla DERHASCHNIG;
Ulla DERHASCHNIG
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Fausi RASSOUL;
Fausi RASSOUL
‡Department of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Volker RICHTER;
Volker RICHTER
‡Department of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Michael WOLZT;
Michael WOLZT
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Guido T. DORNER;
Guido T. DORNER
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Vanessa PETTERNEL;
Vanessa PETTERNEL
*Department of Clinical Pharmacology-TARGET, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
†Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Oswald F. WAGNER
Oswald F. WAGNER
§Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
June 25 2002
Revision Received:
September 24 2002
Accepted:
November 22 2002
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2003
2003
Clin Sci (Lond) (2003) 104 (2): 189–193.
Article history
Received:
June 25 2002
Revision Received:
September 24 2002
Accepted:
November 22 2002
Citation
Bernd JILMA, Christian JOUKHADAR, Ulla DERHASCHNIG, Fausi RASSOUL, Volker RICHTER, Michael WOLZT, Guido T. DORNER, Vanessa PETTERNEL, Oswald F. WAGNER; Levels of adhesion molecules do not decrease after 3 months of statin therapy in moderate hypercholesterolaemia. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 February 2003; 104 (2): 189–193. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1040189
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