Neutrophil superoxide anion generation during atorvastatin and fluvastatin therapy used in coronary heart disease primary prevention

Neutrophil superoxide anion generation was measured during atorvastatin and fluvastatin therapy in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. The patients were randomly allotted into three groups. The atorvastatin group comprised 17 patients who were administered the drug orally 10 mg a day at bed time. The fluvastatin group consisted of 18 patients on an oral dose of 40 mg once daily at bed time. The control group comprised 12 healthy subjects with no drug administration. Blood samples were collected from cubital vein before and after 6-week therapy with these drugs and once in the control group. Neutrophil superoxide anion generation in whole blood without and with opsonized zymosan (OZ) stimulation was determined using superoxide dismutase from bovine erythrocytes. In the atorvastatin group, statistically significant (P < 0.05) decrease in superoxide anion generation by nonstimulated and OZ-stimulated neutrophils was observed after 6 weeks of therapy. In fluvastatin group, no changes in neutrophil superoxide anion generation were observed after the 6-week treatment period. Our study has shown an additional nonlipid mechanism of atorvastatin used in CHD primary prevention.