PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF STATINS ON RENAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES

Purpose: To investigate the effects of statins on renal function in atherosclerotic patients. Materials and methods: Two-hundred-forty patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were enrolled and randomly divided into four groups. Group A had atorvastatin 10 mg/d, group B had simvastatin 20 mg/d, group C had rosuvastatin 5 mg/d and group D had lovastatin 20 mg/d before sleep once daily for four months. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), Cystatin C (Cys C), high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) were tested before medication, 4 and 15 weeks of follow-up. Results: No significant (P>0.05) differences existed in the demographic data among the four groups. Significant (P<0.05) decreases in TG, TC, LDL, hsCRP and Cys C but significant (P<0.05) increases were found in HDL at weeks 4 and 15 compared with before medication (Table 2-3). No significant (P>0.05) differences existed in the ALT, AST and BUN at different time points. The SCr was significantly (P<0.05) decreased at week 15 compared with before medication. No significant (P>0.05) decrease was in the BUN after medication, but significant (P<0.05) decrease in the SCr at week 15 and in the Cys C, hsCRP, TC and LDL at weeks 4 and 15 (Table 4-5). However, no significant (P>0.05) difference existed in these parameters in the four groups. Conclusion: Statins have a potential protective effect on renal function besides reducing serum lipids and inflammatory factors.