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Statin Therapy Decreases Serum Levels of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Tumor Necrosis Factor-(alpha) in HIV-Infected Patients Treated With Ritonavir-Boosted Protease Inhibitors
HIV Clinical Trials, 05/30/2012
Clinical Article
Calza L et al. – The findings suggest that rosuvastatin has a significantly greater lipid–lowering effect than atorvastatin or pravastatin, but all 3 statins exert a similar effect in lowering markers of inflammation as high–sensitivity C–reactive protein (hsCRP) and TNF– α.
Methods- Retrospective cohort study of HIV–infected adult patients with hypercholesterolemia who were receiving a stable antiretroviral regimen including a ritonavir–boosted protease inhibitor and who started a lipid–lowering therapy with rosuvastatin (10 mg daily), atorvastatin (10 mg daily), or pravastatin (40 mg daily) and were followed–up for at least 12 months.
- One hundred and fifty–one patients were enrolled in the study: 51 in the rosuvastatin group, 47 in the atorvastatin group, and 53 in the pravastatin group.
- The primary observation was change in plasma lipid levels and serum markers of inflammation (high–sensitivity C–reactive protein [hsCRP], interleukin–6 [IL–6], and tumor necrosis factor– α [TNF– α]), while secondary observations include immunovirological parameters and safety profile of statins.
- One year after starting the statin therapy, patients treated with rosuvastatin had significantly greater decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than subjects on atorvastatin or pravastatin.
- All statins led to a similar, significant reduction in serum levels of hsCRP and TNF–(alpha), without correlation between biomarkers and lipid values, and toxicity rates were similar for all 3 statins.
