Effect of high-dose atorvastatin on the inflammatory factors such as hs-CRP,IL-8,IL-6 and MMP-9 in acute stage of cerebral infarction

Objective To observe the effect of short-term high-dose atorvastatin on the inflammatory factors such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),interleukin-8(IL-8),interleukin-6(IL-6)and marix metalloproteinases-9(MMP-9)in patients with acute stroke,and to demonstrate whether or not atorvastatin could aggressively inhibit inflammation and stabilize the atherosclerosis plaque.Methods One hundred and twenty acute cerebral infarction patients from the Department of Neurology of the Fifth Hospital of Wuhan City were divided into carotid vulnerable plaque group and carotid stable plaque group according to the results of carotid B-mode ultrasonography.There were 60 patients in each group.They were randomly divided into conventional therapy group(n=60)and High-dose atorvastatin group(n=60).Patients in the conventional therapy group received low-dose(10mg/d)atorvastatin,whereas patients in High-dose atorvastatin group received atorvastatin 40mg/d.Blood lipoprotein,hs-CRP,IL-8,IL-6 and MMP-9 were measured in all patients before treatment and two-weeks after therapy.Results Before treatment,there were no significant differences in blood lipoprotein,Hs-CRP,IL-8,IL-6 and MMP-9 between the conventional group and High-dose atorvastatin group(P0.05).There was an obvious decreases in the level of LDL-C and hs-CRP in patients treated with High-dose atorvastatin for 2 weeks(P0.01).There was an obvious decreases in the level of IL-8,IL-6 and MMP-9 in patients who had carotid vulnerable plaques and treated with High-dose atorvastatin for 2 weeks(P0.01).Conclusion High-dose atorvastatin could rapidly reduce serum inflammatory factors in patients with acute stroke,and might inhibit inflammation and stabilize atherosclerosis plaque.