The effect of simvastatin on lymphocyte secretory function in patients with impaired fasting glucose

No previous study has determined the impact of statins on lymphocyte secretory function in patients with the early stages of glucose metabolism abnormalities. Our study aimed at assessing the strength of a lymphocyte-suppressing effect of simvastatin in patients with impaired fasting glucose with reference to its action in dyslipidemic subjects. Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes of impaired fasting glucose (n = 32) and hypercholesterolemic (n = 30) subjects produced more interleukin-2, interferon-g, and tumor necrosis factor-a than lymphocytes of 31 matched subjects with normal plasma lipids and glucose tolerance. Apart from lowering plasma lipids, in both treatment groups, simvastatin (40 mg daily) reduced lymphocyte cytokine release to the level observed in control subjects, which was accompanied by a decrease in plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 levels. Our study shows that already at the early stages of glucose metabolism abnormalities, lymphocyte secretory function is disturbed to a similar degree as in hypercholesterolemia. Simvastatin is an effective lymphocyte-suppressing and anti-inflammatory agent irrespective of plasma lipid levels. The treatment-induced reduction in lymphocyte cytokine release and systemic inflammation may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of statins in the prevention and therapy of atherosclerosis in subjects with early glucose metabolism abnormalities and dyslipidemia.