Estatinas, una alternativa en el tratamiento de la COVID-19 / Statins, an Alternative in the Treatment of COVID-19

Resumen Las estatinas son ampliamente utilizadas para el control de los niveles de colesterol en pacientes con hipercolesterolemia, lo cual permite prevenir enfermedades cardiovasculares. Además de controlar la síntesis endógena de colesterol, las estatinas tienen efectos pleiotrópicos diversos, como son las propiedades antiinflamatoria, antioxidante y de inmunomodulación. La enfermedad causada por el virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) provoca una tormenta de citocinas que contribuye a la generación del síndrome respiratorio agudo, que puede llevar a cuadros graves de esta enfermedad e incluso a la muerte del paciente. Diversos estudios realizados en enfermos con COVID-19 que recibieron estatinas, antes o durante el curso de la enfermedad, registraron cuadros menos graves, estancias hospitalarias más cortas y menor mortalidad. El beneficio de las estatinas en la COVID-19 debe ser explorado más ampliamente, ya que potencialmente pueden contribuir al control de esta pandemia que ha postrado a la humanidad.

Abstract Statins are widely used to control cholesterol levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia, which helps prevent cardiovascular diseases. In addition to controlling endogenous cholesterol synthesis, statins have diverse pleiotropic effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. The disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) causes a cytokine storm that contributes to the generation of acute respiratory syndrome, which can lead to severe symptoms of this disease and even the death of the patient. Various studies carried out on patients with COVID-19 who received statins, before or during the disease, registered less severe symptoms, shorter hospital stays and lower mortality. The benefit of statins in COVID-19 should be explored more widely, as they can potentially contribute to the control of this pandemic that has devastated humanity.

Comparative study on efficacy and safety of atorvastatin in combination with ezetimibe and atorvastatin monotherapy among patients with dyslipidemia – A randomized and double-blind study

Background: Dyslipidemia is defined as the high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A (apo A) levels <10th percentile and/or total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), apolipoprotein B, or Lipoprotein (a) levels more than the 90th percentile. Aim and Objectives: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of the fixed-dose combination of Atorvastatin and Ezetimibe with Atorvastatin monotherapy among patients with dyslipidemia. Materials and Methods: The present study was a randomized, double-blinded, prospective, and parallel-group study. Ninety-two outpatients of age in between 18 and 70 years from the Department of General Medicine who attended the hospital for the treatment of dyslipidemia were selected as study participants. Among 92 patients, 12 patients did not meet the study criteria. The remaining 80 patients were divided into two treatment groups at random and under double-blind conditions (39 in Group A and 41 in Group B). Each patient in both groups was followed for a period of 4 weeks after initiation of therapy. Total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were recorded at day 1, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks of therapy. Results: In this study, by the end of the study period (4 weeks), tablet Atorvastatin + tablet Ezetimibe combination therapy showed statistical significance difference in reducing mean total cholesterol and mean serum LDL levels in dyslipidemia cases than the group receiving Atorvastatin monotherapy. Conclusion: Atorvastatin in combination with Ezetimibe was more efficacious than Atorvastatin monotherapy in reducing total blood cholesterol and serum LDL levels. Atorvastatin plus Ezetimibe is equally safer as Atorvastatin monotherapy and well tolerated with fewer adverse effects.

Efficacy and safety of ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and adverse reactions of ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction (ACI).Methods:A total of 80 patients with ACI who were diagnosed and treated in Anhui Suixi County Hospital from October 2021 to October 2022 were selected retrospectively and randomly divided into the control group and observation group, each group with 40 cases. The patients in the control group were treated with routine basic treatment and atorvastatin for ACI. The patients in the observation group was treated with ticagrelor on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy, neurological function, daily living ability, platelet function (platelet count, platelet inhibition rate), inflammatory factors including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group: 92.50%(37/40) vs. 72.50% (29/40), there was statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the score of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of the observation group was lower than that of the control group: (9.37 ± 2.91) points vs. (14.20 ± 3.39) points, and the score of Barthel index scale (BI) was higher than that of the control group: (72.26 ± 13.27) points vs. (58.93 ± 9.43) points, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the platelet count and platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) inhibition rate of the observation group were higher than those of the control group: (284.65 ± 41.58) × 10 9/L vs. (210.46 ± 36.12) × 10 9/L, (79.43 ± 16.42)% vs. (62.40 ± 13.95)%, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels of the observation group were lower than those of the control group: (11.64 ± 2.96) mg/L vs. (19.75 ± 4.57) mg/L, (4.26 ± 0.93) ng/L vs. (8.95 ± 1.83) ng/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin has a better therapeutic effect on ACI, which can effectively improve the neurological deficit and the ability of self-care.

Effect and mechanism of atorvastatin on the proliferation，autophagy and glucose metabolism of AGS cells in human gastric cancer / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects and mechanism of atorvastatin on the proliferation， autophagy and glucose metabolism of AGS cells in human gastric cancer. METHODS The effects of low， medium and high concentrations of atorvastatin （12.5， 25， 50 μmol/L） on the viability of AGS cells were investigated through preliminary experiments， and the concentration of action was screened. The formal experiment was divided into control group （no intervention）， atorvastatin group （25 μmol/L）， positive control group （50 mg/L 5-fluorouracil）， inhibitor group [25 μmol/L atorvastatin +10 μmol/L phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002] and activator group （25 μmol/L atorvastatin +10 μmol/L PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activator SC79）， all of which were treated for 24 h. Glucose metabolism （glucose and lactic acid contents） and cell proliferation rate were detected， as well as the expression of autophagy-associated protein light chain 3 （LC3） Ⅰ， LC3Ⅱ and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-associated proteins in cells. RESULTS Both medium and high concentrations of atorvastatin could significantly inhibit the viability of AGS cells （P＜0.05）， and 25 μmol/L atorvastatin was selected for the official experiment for follow-up experiments. Compared with the control group， the contents of glucose and lactic acid， cell proliferation rate， p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios in the positive control group and atorvastatin group were significantly decreased （P＜ 0.05）， and the protein expression levels of LC3 Ⅰ and LC3 Ⅱ were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the atorvastatin group， the inhibitor further promoted the changes in the above indexes （P＜0.05）， and the activator significantly reversed the changes in the above indexes （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Atorvastatin could inhibit glucose metabolism and proliferation of AGS cells in human gastric cancer and promote autophagy. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Statin-related drug-induced liver injury / 中华肝脏病杂志

Statins are a kind of prescription drug that is widely used to treat hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and other atherosclerotic diseases. A common side effect of statin use is a mild rise in liver aminotransferases, which occurs in less than 3% of patients. Statin-related liver injury is most commonly caused by atorvastatin and simvastatin, but severe liver injury is uncommon. Therefore, understanding and evaluating hepatotoxicity and weighing the benefits and risks is of great significance to better realize the protective effect of statins.

Effect and Mechanism of Atorvastatin on Reversing Drug Resistance in Leukemia by Regulating Glycolysis through PTEN/mTOR Pathway / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the influence and mechanism of atorvastatin on glycolysis of adriamycin resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line HL-60/ADM.@*METHODS@#HL-60/ADM cells in logarithmic growth phase were treated with different concentrations of atorvastatin, then the cell proliferation activity was measured by CCK-8 assay, the apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, the glycolytic activity was checked by glucose consumption test, and the protein expressions of PTEN, p-mTOR, PKM2, HK2, P-gp and MRP1 were detected by Western blot. After transfection of PTEN-siRNA into HL-60/ADM cells, the effects of low expression of PTEN on atorvastatin regulating the behaviors of apoptosis and glycolytic metabolism in HL-60/ADM cells were further detected.@*RESULTS@#CCK-8 results showed that atorvastatin could inhibit the proliferation of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner (r=0.872, r=0.936), and the proliferation activity was inhibited most significantly when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, which was decreased to (32.3±2.18)%. Flow cytometry results showed that atorvastatin induced the apoptosis of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.796), and the apoptosis was induced most notably when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, which reached to (48.78±2.95)%. The results of glucose consumption test showed that atorvastatin significantly inhibited the glycolytic activity of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner (r=0.915, r=0.748), and this inhibition was most strikingly when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, reducing the relative glucose consumption to (46.53±1.71)%. Western blot indicated that the expressions of p-mTOR, PKM2, HK2, P-gp and MRP1 protein were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.737, r=0.695, r=0.829, r=0.781, r=0.632), while the expression of PTEN protein was increased in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.531), when treated with different concentrations of atorvastatin for 24 h. After PTEN-siRNA transfected into HL-60/ADM cells, it showed that low expression of PTEN had weakened the promoting effect of atorvastatin on apoptosis and inhibitory effect on glycolysis and multidrug resistance.@*CONCLUSION@#Atorvastatin can inhibit the proliferation, glycolysis, and induce apoptosis of HL-60/ADM cells. It may be related to the mechanism of increasing the expression of PTEN, inhibiting mTOR activation, and decreasing the expressions of PKM2 and HK2, thus reverse drug resistance.

Effects of statin therapy in hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ABSTRACT Introduction COVID-19 is associated with endothelial activation and systemic inflammation; consequently, statins can be used in its treatment as they have anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and profibrinolytic properties and may interfere with COVID-19 viral entry into cells through disruption of cell membrane lipid rafts. Objective We performed a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials that compared statin therapy to placebo or to standard care in adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for all-cause mortality, hospitalization duration, and admission to the intensive care unit. Results Of the 228 studies reviewed, four studies were included, with a total of 1,231 patients, of whom 610 (49.5%) were treated with statins. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.96; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 0.61-1.51; p=0.86; I2=13%), duration of hospitalization (mean difference [MD] 0.21; 95%CI: -1.74-2.16; p=0.83; I2=92%), intensive care unit admission (OR= 3.31; 95%CI: 0.13-87.1; p=0.47; I2=84%), need for mechanical ventilation (OR= 1.03; 95%CI: 0.36-2.94; p=0.95; I2=0%), or increase in liver enzyme levels (OR= 0.58; 95%CI: 0.27-1.25; p=0.16; I2=0%) between patients treated with or without statin therapy. Conclusion Our findings suggest that in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, statin therapy results in no difference in clinical outcomes when compared to outcomes by placebo or standard of care. Prospero database registration: (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero) under the number CRD42022338283.

Effects of atorvastatin in suppressing pulmonary vascular remodeling in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of atorvastatin calcium on pulmonary vascular remodeling, the authors explored the regulatory mechanism of Histone Deacetylation Enzyme-2 (HDAC2) in rats with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and provided a new direction for drug treatment in the progression of vascular remodeling. Methods Eighteen female SD rats were randomly divided into control (Group S1), COPD (Group S2), and atorvastatin calcium + COPD (Group S3) groups. A COPD rat model was established by passive smoking and intratracheal injection of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Haematoxylin and eosin staining and Victoria Blue + Van Gibson staining were used to observe pathological changes in the lung tissue. The pulmonary vascular inflammation score was calculated, and the degree of pulmonary vascular remodeling was evaluated. The ratio of Muscular Arteries in lung tissue (MA%), the ratio of the vessel Wall Area to the vessel total area (WA%), and the ratio of the vessel Wall Thickness to the vascular outer diameter (WT%) were measured using imaging software. The expression of HDAC2 was measured using western blotting, ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), and qPCR (Real-time PCR). Results Compared with the control group, the degree of pulmonary vascular inflammation and pulmonary vascular remodeling increased in rats with COPD. The WT%, WA%, and lung inflammation scores increased significantly; the expression of HDAC2 and HDAC2mRNA in the serum and lung tissue decreased, and the level of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in the lung tissues increased (p< 0.05). Compared with the COPD group, the lung tissues from rats in the atorvastatin group had fewer inflammatory cells, and the vascular pathological changes were significantly relieved. The WT%, WA%, and lung inflammation scores decreased significantly; the expression of HDAC2 and HDAC2mRNA in the serum and lung tissues increased, and the level of VEGF in the lung tissues decreased (p< 0.05). Conclusion The present study revealed that atorvastatin calcium could regulate the contents and expression of HDAC2 in serum and lung tissues and inhibit the production of VEGF, thereby regulating pulmonary vascular remodeling in a rat model with COPD.

Clinical study of aspirin combined with atorvastatin in the prevention of new onset atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical value of aspirin combined with atorvastatin in the prevention of new onset atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).Methods:208 patients with coronary artery bypass grafting in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as the research subjects and divided by a random number table method into groups. The control group (104 cases) was treated with aspirin before operation, and the observation group (104 cases) was treated with aspirin and atorvastatin before operation. ECG monitoring was carried out continuously for 7 days of patients in the two groups, and the occurrence and duration of AF were recorded. The clinical therapeutic efficacy, incidence and adverse reactions of AF, left atrial diameter and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level were observed before and after treatment.Results:The incidence of AF in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in the starting time of AF between the two groups after operation ( P>0.05). The duration of AF in the observation group was better than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistical significant difference in left atrial diameter and hs-CRP level between the two groups ( P>0.05). After treatment, the left atrial diameter in the observation group returned to that before treatment, and there was no statistical significant difference in the same group ( P>0.05). The left atrial diameter in the control group was higher than that before treatment, and there was statistical significant difference in the same group ( P<0.05). The level of hs-CRP was lower than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no adverse reactions in both groups. Conclusion:Aspirin combined with atorvastatin has a significant effect in preventing new onset AF after OPCABG. It can reduce the incidence of postoperative AF, shorten the duration of AF, effectively control the inner diameter of left atrium, reduce the degree of postoperative inflammatory reaction, and has no adverse effects. It is worthy of clinical application.

Lipid-lowering effect of atorvastatin on patients with acute cerebral infarction with different genotypes of ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 G2677T / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To observe the lipid-lowering effect of atorvastatin on patients with acute cerebral infarction with different ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1(ABCB1) genotypes, and thus to provide clinical research evidence for individual application of atorvastatin in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods:From March 2021 to December 2021, 131 patients with acute cerebral infarction admitted to the Department of Neurology of Xuchang Central Hospital were included. The ABCB1 G2677T gene polymorphism rs2032582 of patients was detected by fluorescence staining in situ hybridization.Based on the detection results, patients were divided into GG group, GT group and TT group.All patients were given atorvastatin (20 mg/d) for lipid-lowering treatment.The levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), total cholesterol(TC)and triglyceride(TG) in serum of patients in the three groups before and 2 months after treatment were recorded and analyzed.The adverse drug reactions in the three groups were recorded. When the serum LDL-C level was less than 1.8 mmol/L, it was considered that the lipid-lowering treatment was effective.The binary Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of atorvastatin lipid lowering therapy.The software of SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results:There were 50 (38.17%), 49 (37.40%) and 32 (24.43%) patients in GG group, GT group and TT group, respectively. The serum TC levels of patients in GG group, GT group and TT group after treatment were (3.47±0.70) mmol/L, (3.59±1.09) mmol/L and (3.48±1.02) mmol/L, respectively, which were lower than those before treatment ((4.27± 0.99) mmol/L, (4.02±0.98) mmol/L and (4.03±1.31) mmol/L), all of which were statistically significant ( t=7.652, 3.092, 5.593, all P<0.01). The serum LDL-C levels in GG group, GT group and TT group after treatment were (1.89±0.53) mmol/L, (2.07±0.92) mmol/L and (1.96±0.79) mmol/L, respectively, which were lower than those before treatment ((2.87±0.92) mmol/L, (2.56±0.89) mmol/L and (2.55±1.11) mmol/L) ( t=9.896, 4.055, 5.980, all P<0.001). The differences of serum LDL-C level before and after treatment in GG group, GT group and TT group were (-0.97±0.69) mmol/L, (-0.50±0.86) mmol/L and (-0.59±0.56) mmol/L, respectively. The difference of serum LDL-C level before and after treatment in the three groups was statistically significant ( F=5.614, P=0.005). The difference of TC, TG and HDL-C before and after treatment was not statistically significant( F=2.783, 0.490, 1.677, all P>0.05). The binary Logistic regression analysis showed that ABCB1 G2677T gene type and staying up late were independent influencing factors for atorvastatin lipid-lowering therapy. The probability of effective lipid-lowering in GT patients with ABCB1 G2677T gene was 27.9% of that in GG patients ( OR=0.279, 95% CI: 0.110-0.709, P=0.007), and the probability of TT type patients was 33.8% of GG type patients ( OR=0.338, 95% CI: 0.121-0.943, P=0.038). The probability of effective lipid-lowering in patients who had the habit of staying up late was 26.4% of the patients who did not stay up late ( OR=0.264, 95% CI: 0.118-0.591, P=0.001). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse drug reactions among the three groups( χ2=0.868, P=0.648). Conclusion:The lipid-lowering effect in patients with GG type of ABCB1 G2677T is better than that of GT type and TT type when atorvastatin is used to treat patients with acute cerebral infarction.

Effects of different doses of simvastatin and atorvastatin combined with trimetazidine on blood lipids and cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the effects of different doses of simvastatin and atorvastatin combined with trimetazidine on blood lipids and cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure.Methods:A total of 100 patients with chronic heart failure who received treatment in Jinan Second People's Hospital from September 2019 to August 2021 were included in this study. These patients were divided into three groups according to different treatment methods: group A ( n = 33), group B ( n = 33), and group C ( n = 34). Group A was treated with a conventional dose of simvastatin combined with trimetazidine. Group B was treated with a high dose of simvastatin combined with trimetazidine. Group C was treated with atorvastatin combined with trimetazidine. All patients were treated for 6 months. Cardiac function, blood lipids, inflammatory factors, and excellent and good rates of therapeutic effects post-treatment were compared between the three groups. The adverse events during the treatment were recorded. Results:There were no significant differences in blood lipids, cardiac function, inflammatory factors, and excellent and good rates of therapeutic effects between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After 6 months of treatment, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [(1.99 ± 0.25) mmol/L, (2.01 ± 0.16) mmol/L] and left ventricular ejection fraction [(51.29 ± 4.15)%, (51.37 ± 4.44)%] in groups B and C were significantly higher than those in group A [(1.52 ± 0.16) mmol/L, (42.28 ± 4.86)%, t = 9.10, 6.24; 8.10, 11.38, all P < 0.05). Caspase-1 [(42.33 ± 3.19) ng/L, (41.87 ± 3.55) ng/L], interleukin-18 [(54.55 ± 4.39) ng/L, (53.98 ± 4.45) ng/L], left ventricular end-systolic diameter [(35.13 ± 2.13) mm, (35.68 ± 2.46) mm], left ventricular end-diastolic diameter [(44.39 ± 3.65) mm, (44.42 ± 3.32) mm], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [(2.69 ± 0.39) mmol/L, (2.57 ± 0.13) mmol/L], total cholesterol [(3.79 ± 0.13 ) mmol/L, (3.56 ± 0.69) mmol/L], triacylglycerol [(1.12 ± 0.05) mmol/L, (1.10 ± 0.07) mmol/L] levels in groups B and C were significantly lower than those in group A [(68.41 ±10.23) ng/L, (88.37 ± 6.65) ng/L, (42.63 ± 3.13) mm, (51.68 ± 5.42) mm, (3.13 ± 0.11) mmol/L, (4.21 ± 0.11) mmol/L, (1.51 ± 0.11) mmol/L, t = -13.98, -24.38, -14.27, -24.95, -6.41, -5.64, -8.00, -10.12, -14.17, -18.54, -12.53, -19.01, -5.35, -18.26, all P < 0.05]. 6-minute walking distances [(352.19 ± 25.4) m, (351.74 ± 24.29) m] in groups B and C were significantly longer than that in group A [(319.71 ± 21.11) m, t = 6.63, 5.75, both P < 0.05). The excellent and good rates at 3 and 6 months after surgery in group B was significantly higher than that in group A ( χ2 = 4.00, 4.16, both P < 0.05), but the incidence of adverse reactions in group B [18.18% (6/33)] was significantly higher than 3.03% (1/33) in group A and 2.94% (1/34) in group C (both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between group A and group C ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Atorvastatin and high-dose simvastatin alone combined with trimetazidine can achieve good therapeutic effects on chronic heart failure. Both combined therapies are beneficial to improve heart function and reduce myocardial damage. However, atorvastatin combined with trimetazidine is safer than high-dose simvastatin combined with trimetazidine.

Efficacy of Zhibitai capsules combined with low-dose atorvastatin in the treatment of cervical arteriosclerosis and its effects on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of Zhibitai capsules combined with low-dose atorvastatin in the treatment of cervical arteriosclerosis and its effects on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood. Methods:A total of 104 patients with carotid arteriosclerosis admitted to Fenyang Hospital from January 2021 to April 2022 were retrospectively included in this study. They were divided into a control group ( n = 52) and an observation group ( n = 52) according to different treatment methods. The control group was orally given atorvastatin calcium tablets 20 mg once a day. The observation group was orally given atorvastatin calcium tablets 10 mg once a day, and Zhibitai capsules 0.24 g, one capsule in the morning and one capsule in the evening. After 8 weeks of treatment, changes in total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and regulatory T cell proportion in the peripheral blood were evaluated. Results:After treatment, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and regulatory T cell proportion in the observation group were (1.53 ± 0.29) mmol/L and (5.52 ± 1.38)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than (1.19 ± 0.21) mmol/L and (4.48 ± 0.86)% respectively in the control group ( t = 6.84, 4.61, both P < 0.05). Total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in the observation group were (2.88 ± 0.27) mmol/L, (1.21 ± 0.15) mmol/L, (2.01 ± 0.19) mmol/L, (2.58 ± 0.43) mg/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than (3.68 ± 0.41) mmol/L, (1.33 ± 0.19) mmol/L, (2.69 ± 0.31) mmol/L, (3.70 ± 0.25) mg/L, respectively in the control group ( t = 11.75, 3.57, 12.31, 17.23, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in carotid plaque size pre-treatment between the two groups, but the plaque size decreased after treatment compared with before treatment. The efficacy of Zhibitai capsules combined with low-dose atorvastatin in the treatment of cervical arteriosclerosis in the observation group was superior to that in the control group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:Oral administration of Zhibitai capsules combined with low-dose atorvastatin for the treatment of cervical arteriosclerosis is safe and has few adverse reactions. The combined therapy can decrease serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, increase the proportion of regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood, help stabilize plaques, and reduce plaque size.

Establishment and application for simultaneous determination method of atorvastatin and its active/toxic metabolites in rat plasma / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish a method for simultaneous determination of atorvastatin （ATV） and its active metabolites 2-hydroxy atorvastatin acid （2-HAT）， 4-hydroxy atorvastatin acid （4-HAT） and toxic metabolite atorvastatin lactone （ALT） in rat plasma and apply it for pharmacokinetic study. METHODS LC-MS/MS method was adopted for analysis. The one-step precipitation method was used for processing plasma samples （plasma samples were pretreated by acidification to adjust pH value so as to prevent inversion of configuration）， gradient elution was used to analyze the samples， and the analysis time was 5 min. Electrospray positive ionization was adopted， and positive ion scanning was performed in multi-reaction monitoring. The m/z of quantified ion pairs of ATV and its metabolites such as 2-HAT， 4-HAT and ATL， and internal standard pitavastatin were 559.3→ 440.2， 575.2→440.3， 575.0→440.2， 540.9→448.2 and 422.2→290.0， respectively. After conducting a comprehensive methodological investigation of the analytical method， the concentrations of ATV and its metabolites 2-HAT， 4-HAT，and ATL were determined， and the pharmacokinetic parameters of ATV and its metabolites were calculated using the non- compartment model of WinNonlin 6.1. RESULTS The results of methodological validation showed that endogenous substances in blank plasma did not interfere with the determination of the components to be tested， and the standard curve had a good linear relationship； the lower limits of quantification for ATV， 2-HAT， 4-HAT and ATL were 0.5， 0.5， 0.25 and 0.063 nmol/L， respectively. The precision， accuracy， recovery， matrix effect and stability investigation were all in line with the requirements of biological analysis. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that after intragastric administration in rats， ATV calcium metabolized rapidly， and was mainly exposed to blood circulation in the form of ATV and 2-HAT， with the lowest concentration of lactone-type metabolites. CONCLUSIONS The established method is precise， rapid and accurate for plasma concentration analysis of ATV and its active/toxic metabolites. The application of the method could help to fully elucidate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of atorvastatin calcium in rats.

Alopecia Universal após Tratamento com Sinvastatina e Ezetimiba: Impactos na Família / Alopecia Universalis after Treatment with Simvastatin and Ezetimibe: Affects on Family

Resumo A alopecia areata (AA) é uma doença autoimune que se desenvolve no couro cabeludo ou em outras partes do corpo. A alopecia universal, que é uma forma rara de alopecia areata, é caracterizada pela perda de pelos que afeta todo o corpo. Nos dois pacientes apresentados, o tratamento com atorvastatina foi iniciado com o diagnóstico de hipercolesterolemia, mas, quando as metas de valores não foram alcançadas, foi iniciado o tratamento com uma combinação de sinvastatina e ezetimiba. Depois de um período de tratamento com sinvastatina e ezetimiba, o distúrbio de AA, o qual começou com a perda de cabelo no couro cabeludo, espalhou pelo corpo todo e se transformou em alopecia universal. Embora as estatinas possam causar alopecia com reações autoimunes, elas geralmente são utilizadas no tratamento da alopecia, por seus efeitos imunomoduladores.

Abstract Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that grows in the scalp or in other parts of the body. Alopecia universalis, which is a rare form of alopecia areata, is characterized by a loss of hair that affects the entire body. In the two patients presented in this study, atorvastatin treatment was implemented, with the diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia; however, when the target values were not reached, a combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe was implemented. After a period of simvastatin/ezetimibe treatment, the AA disorder, which began with hair loss on the scalp, spread to the entire body and turned into Alopecia Universalis. Although statins can cause alopecia with autoimmune reactions, they are generally used in the treatment of alopecia due to their immunomodulatory effects.

Comparative effect of 1.2% atorvastatin gel and 1.2% rosuvastatin as a local drug delivery in treatment of intra-bony defects in chronic periodontitis

Background: The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 1.2% Atorvastatin (ATV) with 1.2% Rosuvastatin (RSV) as local drug delivery for treatment of Chronic Periodontitis (CP). Materials and Methods: Forty patients were equally divided into two groups. Group A underwent scaling and root debridement and 1.2% ATV gel (1.2 mg/0.1 mL) was placed, whereas group B received scaling and root debridement and RSV (1.2 mg/0.1 ml) was placed. Results: The results showed that both the groups had improvement in all the recorded parameters, and the results obtained were statistically significant. When comparison was made between the groups, no significant difference was obtained between atorvastatin and rosuvastatin at baseline in all recorded parameters. However, after 6 months significant improvement was recorded in CAL (Clinical attachment level) and PD (Probing depth). The plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) score however showed improvement, but it did not attain the level of significance. Conclusion: The present study showed improvement in clinical parameters with the use of ATV and RSV gel when used in combination with scaling and root planing (SRP) in CP patients. Patients with RSV gel showed up significantly better than the ones in which ATV gel was placed.

Evaluation of antihyperlipidemic activity of gugulipid alone and in combination with different dosage of atorvastatin in triton-induced hyperlipidemic rodent model: Exploring a possible synergistic activity

Background: Gugulipid obtained from Commiphora mukul carries a long history of safe and efficacious use in hyperlipidemia as per Ayurvedic literature. Statins like atorvastatin are a highly prescribed hypolipidemic drug but not free from potentially serious adverse effects. Aims and Objectives: The present study was designed to establish antihyperlipidemic activity of gugulipid in triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats in comparison to atorvastatin and simultaneously to explore the combination of gugulipid and atorvastatin for any synergistic activity. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar albino rats (20) were divided equally into vehicle (2% gum acacia) (Group I), gugulipid only 6.75 mg/kgbw (Group II), atorvastatin 7.2 mg/kgbw only (Group III), and gugulipid 6.75 mg/kgbw and atorvastatin in 7.2 mg/kgbw combination (Group IV) in Phase 1 study. In Phase 2, additional three groups were created with five rats in each receiving gugulipid 6.75 mg/kgbw with atorvastatin at 5.4 mg/kgbw, 3.6 mg/kgbw, and 1.8 mg/kgbw dosage, respectively (Groups V–VII). Hyperlipidemia was induced by single intraperitoneal injection (400 mg/kgbw) of triton after 7 days of feeding with respective agents dissolved in vehicle through oral route. Results: Regarding total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Gr II was found superior to Gr I but inferior to others (P < 0.01). Gr IV prevented the rise of TC and TG significantly in comparison to Gr V, VI, and VII (P < 0.01) whereas Groups V and VI having non-significant difference in between, both differed significantly (P < 0.01) with Gr VII. Groups IV, V, and VI prevented the rise of serum LDL significantly (P < 0.01) from Group VII. Conclusion: Gugulipid showed significant antihyperlipidemic activity and was found to be optimally efficacious and safe in combination with even reduced dose of atorvastatin.

Eficacia de la atorvastatina en el infarto cerebral aterotrombótico agudo / Effectiveness of atorvastatin in acute atherothrombotic cerebral infartation

Introducción: Las enfermedades Cerebrovasculares constituyen un importante problema de salud a escala global y en Cuba ocupan la tercera causa de muerte y la primera causa de discapacidad. Objetivo: Evaluar el uso de atorvastatina en el infarto cerebral aterotrombótico agudo. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo longitudinal en los pacientes que acudieron al cuerpo de guardia del Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Julio Trigo López diagnosticados como infarto cerebral aterotrombótico agudo. De forma aleatoria y con previo consentimiento informado se les suministró una dosis de 0, 20 mg o 40 mg de atorvastatina. Se les realizó tomografía axial computarizada de cráneo, la cual fue repetida al tercer día y a los 30 días. Se determinó el valor de proteína C reactiva en el cuerpo de guardia, y a los 30 días fueron evaluados clínicamente de acuerdo a la escala de National Institute of Health Stroke Scale en cuerpo de guardia, diariamente durante su ingreso y 30 días después. Resultados: El tamaño del área infartada disminuyó un 19,4 por ciento con 40 mg de atorvastatina al igual que el valor de proteína C reactiva que se redujo en 16 mg/L. La evaluación clínica según la escala de National Institute of Health Stroke Scale mostró una reducción en más de 8 puntos de acuerdo a la dosis de atorvastatina empleada. Conclusiones: Se demostró la eficacia de la atorvastatina por la disminución del área infartada, la reducción de los valores de proteína C reactiva y la evolución clínica favorable. Todos estos factores fueron directamente proporcional a la dosis de atorvastatina empleada(AU)

Introduction: Cererovascular diseases represent an important health problem worldwide and in Cuba they rank the third cause of death and the first cause of disability. Objective: To evaluate the use of astorvastin in acute atherotrombotic cerebral infactation. Methods: A longitudinal prospective study was carried out in patients who attended the emergency room of Julio Trigo López Surgical Clinical Hospital diagnosed with acute atherothrombotic cerebral infarction. Randomly and with prior informed consent, they were given a dose of 0, 20 mg or 40 mg of atorvastatin. Computerized axial tomography of the skull was performed, which was repeated on day 3 and day 30. The value of C-reactive protein in the emergency room was determined, and at day 30, they were clinically evaluated daily during admission and 30 days later, according to the scale of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale in emergency room. Results: The size of the infarcted area decreased by 19.4 percent with 40 mg of atorvastatin, as well as the value of C-reactive protein, which decreased by 16 mg/L. The clinical evaluation according to the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale showed reduction of more than 8 points according to the dose of atorvastatin used. Conclusions: The efficacy of atorvastatin was demonstrated by the reduction of the infarcted area, the reduction of C-reactive protein values and the favorable clinical evolution. All of these factors were directly proportional to the dose of atorvastatin used(AU)

Is the use of high-intensity atorvastatin associated with memory impairment?

High-intensity statins are the cornerstone of medical management in Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS). However, their effect on neurocognition are less clear. In this prospective observational study, we gave guideline-directed high-intensity atorvastatin 40 mg to middle-aged statin-naïve ACS patients. Memory assessments were performed before and 6 months after statin therapy using 2 validated scales-the PostGraduate Institute Memory Scale (PGI-MS), and the Logical Memory Passage Test (LMPT). There was no significant difference in the mean PGI-MS test scores (baseline 75.4 ± 7.9, 6months 76.5 ± 8.2;p ¼ 0.26) or the overall composite scores (baseline 32.02 ± 3.2, 6months 32.8 ± 3.1; p ¼ 0.20), after 6 months of statin use. There was a small improvement in immediate recall (baseline score 8.5 ± 2.5, 6 months 9.04 ± 1.8; p ¼ 0.05), and delayed recall (baseline 6.1 ± 2.6, 6 months 6.9 ± 1.9, p ¼ 0.002). High-intensity atorvastatin use did not affect memory at 6 months among statin-naïve middle-aged patients with ACS.

Atorvastatin suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in human coronary artery endothelial cells

Abstract The present study was designed to examine the effects of atorvastatin on vascular inflammatory responses in human coronary artery endothelial cells(HCAECs), when challenged by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) ligand. HCAECs were pretreated with atorvastatin and induced by LPS. The expression of TLR4, interleukin -6(IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecular-1(ICAM-1), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK) were evaluated using Real-time polymerase chain reaction, cytokine ELISA assay and Western blotting. The results showed that pretreatment with atorvastatin down-regulated the expression of TLR4 in LPS-activated HCAECs. Atorvastatin also attenuated the LPS-induced expression of interleukin IL-6 and MCP-1, at both the transcription and translation level in HCAECs. LPS-induced endothelial cell adhesion molecules, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression were also reduced by pretreatment with atorvastatin. Furthermore, atorvastatin efficiently suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB and p38 MAPK in HCAECs. These findings show that atorvastatin suppresses endothelial cell inflammation, suggesting that atorvastatin may be suitable for development as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory cardiovascular disease.

Effectiveness and safety of generic and original drugs of atorvastatin ：a systematic review / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To systema tically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of gen eric and original drugs of atorvastatin ， and to provide the latest evidence-based reference for drug selection in clinic. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed ，Cochrane Library，Embase，CNKI，VIP and Wanfang database ，intervention trials and observational studies about generic and original drugs of atorvastatin were collected during the inception to Apr. 2021. After data extraction of literatures met inclusion criteria ，the Cochrane risk bias evaluation tool 5.1.0 was used to evaluate the quality of intervention trials ；Newcastle-Ottawa Scale （NOS）was used to evaluate the quality of observational studies. RevMan 5.4 software was used to conduct meta-analysis ，and descrptive analysis was performed at the same time. RESULTS A total of 24 studies were included ，involving 21 randomized controlled trials （RCTs）and 3 retrospective cohort studies （RCSs），with 20 001 patients involved. Meta-analysis results of RCT showed there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）levels [MD ＝ － 0.05，95％ CI（－ 0.12，0.02），P＝0.16] and increasing Δ 基金项目：国家重点研发计划项目（No.2017YFC0910004）；山 东省重点研发计划项目（No.2020RKB14165） high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）levels [MD ＝ ＊硕士研究生 。研究方向：临床药学。E-mail：1677032023@qq. － 0.00，95％ CI（－ 0.02，0.01），P＝0.52]；the degree of com reducing total cholesterol （TC）level [MD ＝－0.11，95％CI # 通信作者：主任药师，硕士生导师。研究方向：临床药学、药事 （ － 0.17，－ 0.06），P＜0.000 1] and triglyceride （TG） 管理。电话：0351-89268349。E-mail：13791120711@126.com level [MD ＝－0.05，95％CI（－0.09， －0.01），P＝0.02] in ·358· China Pharmacy 2022Vol. 33 No. 3 中国药房 2022年第33卷第3期 generic drug group was lower than orig inal drug group ，with statistical significance difference. There was no statistical significance difference in total incidence of adverse drug reaction （ADR）[OR＝1.08，95％ CI（0.85，1.37），P＝0.55] and the incidence of other ADR（P＞0.05）. The results of subgroup analysis showed that the reductions of TC and TG of generic drugs produced by Beijing Jialin Pharmaceutical Enterprise （hereinafter refer to Jialin generic drugs ）were less than those of the original drug ，and the difference was statistically significant ；compared with original drugs ，there was no significant difference in other indexes or all indexes of the generic drugs from other manufacturers. Compared with original drugs ，the reductions of TC and TG in 20 mg/d group of Jialin generic drugs were less than original drug group ；the degree of TC reduction at 12 and 24 weeks of follow-up and TG reduction at 24 weeks of follow-up were less than those of the original drugs ，the difference was statistically significant ；there was no significant difference in other indexes. The qualitative description of RCS showed that for elderly patients with death/acute coronary syndrome ，there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of cardiovascular events or serious side effects. For the adult patients who switched from original drugs to generic drugs ，the effect of generic drugs instead of original drugs would not be reduced ，but the increase of HDL-C was less than that of original drug. CONCLUSIONS In terms of effectiveness，generic drugs of atorvastatin can replace original drugs and caution should be taken on the levels of HDL-C ，TC and TG for long time use ；in terms of safety ，generic drugs are similar to the original drugs.