EFFICIENCY OF ATORVASTATIN THERAPY FOR DECREASING THE LEVEL OF HIGHLY SENSITIVE C- REACTIVE PROTEIN (HSCRP) IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Although cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are high in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, no more than 25% of the high risk level for a cardiovascular disease can be explained by traditional risk factors: high blood pressure, dislipidaemia and obesity by central mechanism. A great amount of data suggests that chronic inflammation is a major factor that leads to the progression of atherosclerosis and atherotrombosis. Materials and Methods: there were included in the study 84 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with no manifesting cardiovascular disease (CVD) and with acute cardiovascular events (CVE), treated with oral antidiabetics (biguanides and sulfonylureas) who were administered the treatment with Atorvastatin in doses of 10mg/day and 20mg/day, in two administration stages: a period of 4-8 weeks and one of 12-24 weeks. Results and Discussions: Within the whole group of patients in the study, there prevails the age group of 51-60 years old (41%), followed by the age group of 61-70 years old (28%). The hs-CRP values were significantly high in diabetic patients not treated with hypolipemiants comparatively to those treated with Atrovastatin, both in diabetic patients with acute cardiovascular events 10,92 ± 1,59mg/l vs. 4,75 ± 1,02mg/l, and in those without any manifesting cardiovascular disease 7,16 ± 3,79mg/l vs. 1,41 ± 0,64mg/l; hs-CRP decreased significantly with the increase of Atorvastatin dosis, not being influenced by the treatment duration (4-8 weeks vs. 12-24 weeks). Conclusions: In patients with acute myocardial heart attack or stroke, hs-CRP had significantly high values comparatively to those with no manifesting cardiovascular disease, no matter the patient’s lipidic profile is. The statins treatment reduces the level of hs-CRP in a way mainly independent of the LDL cholesterol level.