Effect of high dose versus low dose Atorvastatin therapy on inflammatory & coagulatory factors in type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

Statins are one of the most widely used therapies in different groups of patients not only because of cholesterol-lowering properties also due to their non- lipid related mechanisms. However, the effects atorvastatin on inflammatory and coagulation markers in type 2 diabetic patients are not well examined. We examined and compared the effects of two different doses of atorvastatin on lipid profile, inflammatory and coagulation markers, and liver enzymes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In a randomized double-blinded controlled trial, 150 diabetic patients were included and randomly were assigned to receive either atorvastatin 10 mg (n = 74) or atorvastatin 40 mg daily (n = 76) for 3 months. The levels of biomarkers were measured at the time of administrating drugs as well as at the time of completing the treatment. Results: Significant differences between the mean levels of lipid profiles, fibrinogen, IL-1 and IL-6 were observed between two groups after 3 months treatment with atorvastatin 10 and 40 mg/day (P< 0.05). Furthermore, Paired t-test results revealed significant improvement in all blood values after atorvastatin 40 mg/day ingestion (P< 0.05) with the exception for homocyctein and CPK levels (P> 0.05).