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The effect of short-term simvastatin treatment on plasma adipokine levels in patients with isolated hypercholesterolemia: A preliminary report

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Abstract

Background: Apart from reducing plasma lipids, statins produce numerous non-lipid-related pleiotropic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether short-term simvastatin treatment affects plasma adipokine levels in patients with isolated hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: The study included 42 adult patients with untreated isolated hypercholesterolemia, complying throughout the study with lifestyle intervention, 23 of whom were treated with simvastatin (40 mg daily), as well as 18 healthy subjects with normal lipid profile. Plasma lipids, apolipoproteins, glucose metabolism markers, as well as plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), free fatty acids (FFA), leptin, adiponectin, visfatin and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined at baseline and after 30 days of treatment.

Results: Compared with the control age-, sex-, and weight-matched healthy subjects, isolated hypercholesterolemic patients exhibited higher plasma levels of leptin, visfatin, TNF-α, FFA and CRP, as well as lower plasma levels of adiponectin. Apart from decreasing plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B-100 levels, simvastatin reduced plasma levels of FFA, leptin and TNF-α, as well as increased plasma levels of adiponectin, which was accompanied by a reduction in plasma CRP. There were no differences in simvastatin action on plasma adipokines and CRP between insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive subjects.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that the presence of isolated hypercholesterolemia is associated with abnormal hormonal function of the adipose tissue. These changes are partially reversed by short-term simvastatin treatment, and this action may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of statins in the therapy of atherosclerosis-related disorders.

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Abbreviations

CRP:

C-reactive protein

FFA:

free fatty acids

HDL:

high-density lipoprotein

HMG-CoA:

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A

HOMA-IR:

the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance ratio

hsCRP:

high sensitivity C-reactive protein

LDL:

low-density lipoprotein

TNF-α:

tumor necrosis factor-α

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

    Robert Krysiak & Bogusław Okopień

  2. Invasive Cardiology, Electrotherapy and Angiology Centre, Oświęcim, Poland

    Witold Żmuda

Authors
  1. Robert Krysiak
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  2. Witold Żmuda
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  3. Bogusław Okopień
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Correspondence to Robert Krysiak.

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Krysiak, R., Żmuda, W. & Okopień, B. The effect of short-term simvastatin treatment on plasma adipokine levels in patients with isolated hypercholesterolemia: A preliminary report. Pharmacol. Rep 66, 880–884 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2014.05.012

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2014.05.012

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