Fluvastatin reduces interleukin-1β secreted by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with essential hypertension

Objective:To study the anti-inflammatory effects of fluvastain in patients with essential hypertension.Methods: PBMCs were isolated by gradient centrifugation from 24 individuals with essential hypertension (EH) and 12 normotensive people. IL-1β concentrations in supernatant from PBMCs were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The patients with EH were then randomized to treatment with fluvastatin (40 mg/day) or matching group for 2 weeks. IL-1 β secretion by PBMCs were also measured. Results: Compared with controls, patients with EH had increased IL-1 β[ (992± 151) pg/ml,(912±102) pg/ml vs (599±93) pg/ml;P0.05]secretion by PBMCs after stimulated by angiotensin Ⅱ. Fluvastatin treatment had a significant effect of decreasing IL-1 β[(668±98)pg/ml vs (923±67) pg/ml; P0.05]secretion in PBMCs. The reductions were not correlated to changes in plasma lipids.Conclusions:This study shows that EH is associated with increased PBMCs activation and that treatment with fluvastatin may partly attenuate this abnormality.