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Atorvastatin therapy improves endothelial-dependent vasodilation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: an 8

G A Ferreira1, T P Navarro, R W Telles

  • 1Rheumatology Division, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
|August 19, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Atorvastatin significantly improved blood vessel function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, enhancing vasodilation regardless of traditional coronary heart disease risk factors. This study highlights atorvastatin

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation.
  • Statins may improve endothelial function independent of their lipid-lowering effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess atorvastatin's efficacy in enhancing vasodilation in SLE patients.
  • To determine if atorvastatin's effects differ based on the presence of conventional coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-four SLE women received atorvastatin (20 mg/day) for 8 weeks.
  • Patients were stratified by the presence (n=33) or absence (n=31) of CHD risk factors.
  • Brachial artery diameter was measured using high-resolution ultrasound at baseline and 8 weeks, assessing resting, reactive hyperemia, and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation.

Main Results:

  • Atorvastatin significantly increased flow-mediated dilation (FMD) from 3.8% to 6.9% (P < 0.001).
  • This improvement in FMD was observed in both patients with and without conventional CHD risk factors.
  • Resting brachial artery diameter also increased significantly in the atorvastatin group, unlike in the control group.

Conclusions:

  • Atorvastatin (20 mg/day) effectively improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation in SLE patients over 8 weeks.
  • The beneficial effects on vasodilation were independent of conventional atherosclerotic disease risk factors.
Abstract

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