Effect of Local Rosuvastatin Administration on Calvarial Bone Defects

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Critical-sized bone defects pose significant challenges in bone regeneration.
• Autogenous bone grafts are a common treatment but have limitations.
• Investigating novel therapeutic agents for bone defect repair is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of locally administered rosuvastatin (RSV) doses on critical-sized calvarial bone defects in rats.
• To assess the impact of RSV on new bone formation and connective tissue volume in autogenous bone grafts.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-four rats with critical-sized calvarial defects were divided into control and two RSV treatment groups (0.1 mg and 1 mg).
• Defects were filled with autogenous grafts and absorbable collagen sponges (ACS) with or without RSV.
• Stereologic analysis and micro-computed tomography (μCT) were used to quantify new bone area and connective tissue volume at 28 days post-operation.

Main Results:

• The 1-mg RSV group showed a statistically significant increase in mean bone formation (1.79 ± 0.06 mm²) compared to the 0.1-mg RSV (1.29 ± 0.28 mm²) and control (1.08 ± 0.12 mm²) groups (P ≤ 0.05).
• Connective tissue volume was also significantly higher in the 1-mg RSV group.
• Micro-CT results corroborated the stereologic findings, indicating enhanced bone regeneration.

Conclusions:

• Local administration of 1-mg rosuvastatin effectively promotes bone regeneration in critical-sized calvarial defects augmented with autogenous grafts.
• Rosuvastatin shows potential as an adjunct therapy to improve outcomes in bone defect repair.