Effects of atorvastatin on plasma hypersensitive C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective To observe the effects of different doses of atorvastatin on the plasma hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Methods 131 patients with acute cerebral infarction, 73 males and 58 females, aged 63±11, were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group A (n=47), with basal treatment; Group B (n=42), atorvastatin 10 mg was added every night; and Group C (n=42), atorvastatin 20 mg was added every night. Before the treatment and 7 and 14 days after the treatment the plasma levels of hsCRP and IL-6, fasting plasma levels of lipid, such as total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C), liver functions, such as aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) and alanine transaminase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), urea nitrogen, were detected. Neurological function deficit was determined. The survival condition was surveyed 6 months after. Results (1) The TC and LDL-C decreased after treatment in the 3 groups with significant differences between Group A and Group C, Group B and Group C, and Group B and Group C (all P0.05). (2) The plasma level of hsCRP decreased by 9.1%, 33.9%, and 30.1% respectively 7 days after treatment in Groups A, B, and C with significant differences between Groups A and B and between Groups A and C (both P0.05), however, without significant difference between Group B and Group C. The level of hsCRP decreased by 34.3%, 56.0%, and 52.9% respectively 14 days after treatment in the 3 groups with significant differences between Groups A and B and between Groups A and C (both P0.05), however, without significant difference between Group B and Group C. (3) The level of IL-6 decreased 7 and 14 days after treatment in all 3 groups, however, without significant differences between any 2 groups (all P0.05). (4) The decrease of hsCRP and decrease of IL-6 were not correlated with the percentage of TC decrease (both P0.05) in Group B. The decrease of hsCRP was not correlated with the changes of blood lipids in Group C. (5) Both the plasma hsCRP and IL-6 before treatment were positively correlated with the infection volume and neurological function score (all P0.01). Conclusion Atorvastatin has an anti-inflammatory action benefiting the alleviation of secondary inflammatory damaged in acute cerebral infarction that is independent of lipid lowering.