ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effects of atorvastatin calcium on serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-α and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI), so as to approach the mechanism of atorvastatin calcium inhibiting ACI inflammatory injury. Methods Eighty-four patients with ACI were randomly divided into 2 groups: group B (42 cases, treated with antiplatelet therapy and improving cerebral circulation), group A(42 cases, treated with atorvastatin calcium 20 mg/d after the onset of ACI for 28 days on the base of group B). TNF- α and CRP were detected before treatment and in the 3rd,7th day after treatment. The European stroke scale (ESS) was evaluated on the same time. A healthy control group (group C, 16 cases) was also included in the study. Results The peak of CRP and TNF-α levels were observed in the 3rd and 7th day after treatment respectively, and the levels of group A were lower than those of group B [(13.00 ± 2.45) mg/L vs (19.21 ± 3.67) mg/L,(19.79 ± 11.01) ng/L vs (30.69 ± 18.47) ng/L, P < 0.05]. In the 7th day after treatment, the scores of ESS was higher in group A than that in group B [(79.19 ± 30.59) scores vs (63.91 ± 27.87) scores, P < 0.05]. Conclusions Atorvastatin calcium can prevent the increase of serum TNF-α and CRP, and it has anti-inflammatory effect. Atorvastatin calcium may have the role of neuroprotection besides lipid-lowering.