Efficacy of different doses of atorvastatin treatment on serum levels of 8-hydroxy-guanin (8-OHdG) and cardiac function in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 40 mg and l0 mg atorvastatin on serum levels of 8-Hydroxy-Guanin (8-OHdG) and the cardiac function in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). METHODS: One hundred twenty three hospitalized ICM patients and 120 healthy controls were included in this study. All subjects were randomly divided into two groups: 10 mg/d atorvastatin group (n=62) and 40 mg/d atorvastatin group (n=61). Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, lipids and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were tested in all subjects both at the initial phase and the terminal phase of this study. Adverse drug reaction events were recorded in this study. Echocardiographic method was applied to compare the cardiac function before and after treatment in the double blind study. Serum 8-OHdG levels were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment, and the results in atorvastatin treatment groups were compared with the healthy controls. RESULTS: Serum 8-OHdG levels in ICM patients were significantly higher than that in normal control groups (p<0.05). There was significant difference of Serum 8-OHdG levels in 40 mg/d atorvastatin group (p<0.05), but was no significant difference in 10 mg/d atorvastatin group before and after the treatment. The 8-OHdG level in 40 mg/d atorvastatin group was significantly lower than that in 10 mg/d atorvastatin group before the treatment as well as after the treatment (p<0.05). The systolic and diastolic function improved significantly in 40 mg/d atorvastatin group before and after treatment, as well as in comparison with 10 mg/d atorvastatin group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum 8-OHdG possibly plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ICM. Atorvastatin is safe and effective in ICM treatment; furthermore atorvastatin which also has independent lipid lowering effect, is significantly better in the dose of 40 mg/day.