[The effect of statin treatment on inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome]

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MS). We investigated the effect of fluvastatin treatment on inflammatory markers in patients with MS.

The study included 47 patients (36 females; 11 males; mean age 55+/-8 years) with MS. The diagnosis of MS was based on the presence of at least three criteria of the NCEP ATP III guidelines. All the patients received 80 mg fluvastatin treatment for six weeks. Laboratory parameters were measured before and after treatment, and flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood leukocytes was performed. The results were compared with those of 47 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (33 females, 14 males; mean age 52+/-8 years).

Fluvastatin treatment resulted in significant decreases in levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride (p<0.005), and C-reactive protein (p<0.05). Thirty-three patients (70.2%) had insulin resistance, which remained unchanged following treatment. Flow cytometric analysis after treatment showed significant decreases in total lymphocytes, and in surface antigens of CD16+56 and CD8+(CD28+) on leukocytes, CD11c on granulocytes, and a significant increase in the CD4/CD8 ratio (p<0.05). Compared to the control group, the mean baseline values of fluorescence density (FD) of CD14, CD11b, CD11c, and CD63 on monocytes, and CD11b and CD11c on granulocytes were significantly higher in patients with MS (p<0.05). Following fluvastatin treatment, there were significant decreases in the mean FD of CD3 on lymphocytes, and of CD11b and CD11c on both monocytes and granulocytes (p<0.05); of these, all FD values were similar to those in the control group (p>0.05).

Our data demonstrate that inflammation may have a significant role in the pathogenesis of MS and that this effect can be controlled with statin treatment.