Neuroprotection for Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Comparison of Simvastatin and Atorvastatin / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of statins after a spinal cord injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty four Sprague Dawley rats had a spinal cord injury at T9/10 using an Ohio State University (OSU) impactor. The animals were randomized to receive either simvastatin, atorvastatin, or saline with oral gavage everyday for 7 days. A behavioral outcome assessment was performed on days 2, 4 and 7, and then every week using the Basso, Bresnahan, and Beattie (BBB) score and subscore. The animals also underwent sensory threshold testing using a von Frey monofilament device. The animals were sacrificed at the end of 6 weeks and a spinal cord specimen was harvested. Histology and immunohistochemistry were performed to measure the areas of white and gray matter, and the sparing of oligodenrocytes. RESULTS: For the animals treated with simvastatin, atorvastatin and saline, the mean BBB scores at 6 weeks post-injury was 13.2+/-0.1, 11.8+/-0.5, and 11.3+/-0.2 and the BBB subscores were 9.2+/-1.1, 4.8+/-1.8 and 4.4+/-1.4 respectively (p<0.05). The areas of white matter at the lesion epicenter were 0.78+/-0.05, 0.5+/-0.18 and 0.41+/-0.03 mm2 in the simvastatin, atorvastatin and saline groups respectively, and the number of spared oligodendrocytes was significantly higher in the simvastatin treated animals (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The simvastatin treatment improved the behavior and histological sparing of the spinal cord after an acute spinal cord injury in rats.