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Significant Decrease in Plasma Levels of D-Dimer, Interleukin-8, and Interleukin-12 After a 12-Month Treatment with
Leonardo Calza1, Vincenzo Colangeli1, Eleonora Magistrelli1
11 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Clinics of Infectious Diseases, "Alma Mater Studiorum" University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy .
Insights
Rosuvastatin significantly reduced D-dimer and inflammation markers like IL-8 and IL-12 in HIV patients on cART. This suggests statins may help lower coagulation and inflammation in this population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Statins possess anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects relevant to both general and HIV-infected populations.
- The impact of statins on D-dimer levels in HIV-positive individuals remains under-investigated, despite potential implications for activated coagulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of rosuvastatin on plasma D-dimer levels in HIV-1 infected adults.
- To assess rosuvastatin's impact on other key serum inflammation markers, including IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12, in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving HIV-1 infected adults on stable combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).
- Participants received rosuvastatin (10 mg daily) with follow-up for at least 12 months.
- Primary endpoint: change in median plasma D-dimer concentration at 12 months; secondary endpoints: changes in IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12 levels.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in median plasma D-dimer concentration was observed at 12 months (-21.4%, p=0.029).
- Significant decreases were also noted in median levels of IL-8 (-24.6%, p=0.012) and IL-12 (-18.7%, p=0.033).
- Rosuvastatin treatment resulted in significant reductions in serum lipid values and demonstrated good tolerability.
Conclusions:
- Twelve-month rosuvastatin treatment, alongside effective cART, significantly lowers plasma D-dimer, IL-8, and IL-12 levels in HIV-infected individuals.
- These findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for rosuvastatin in mitigating activated coagulation and systemic inflammation in this patient group.
Objectives:
Statins have shown anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties in both general and HIV-infected population, but their effect on plasma D-dimer levels is controversial and it has not been investigated to date in HIV-positive patients. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of rosuvastatin on D-dimer and other serum inflammation markers among these subjects.
Methods:
Prospective, cohort study of HIV-1-infected adult patients receiving a stable combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), who started a lipid-lowering therapy with rosuvastatin (10 mg daily) and were followed up for at least 12 months. The primary endpoint was the change at month 12 in the median plasma concentration of D-dimer. The secondary endpoints included the variation in median plasma levels of these inflammatory biomarkers: interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-12 (IL-12).
Results:
Sixty-two patients were enrolled in the study, and the endpoints were available for 54 subjects. After 12 months, a significant decrease in median plasma concentration of D-dimer was observed (-21.4%; interquartile range [IQR], -35.5; -4.2; p = .029). With regard to the inflammatory biomarkers, a significant decrease in median levels of IL-8 (-24.6%; IQR, -30.8; -1.8; p = .012) and IL-12 (-18.7%; IQR, -25.8; +2.5; p = .033) was also observed. Rosuvastatin led to a significant reduction in serum lipid values and showed a good tolerability profile.
Conclusions:
Our findings show that a 12-month treatment with rosuvastatin associated with an effective cART can significantly decrease the plasma levels of D-dimer, IL-8, and IL-12, and suggest a potential role for this statin to reduce activated coagulation and systemic inflammation among HIV-infected persons.
