Effects of Combined Administration of Low Dose Atorvastatin and Vitamin E on Inflammatory Markers and Endothelial Function in Patients with Heart Failure

BACKGROUND: Heart failure has been associated with impaired endothelial function, increased inflammatory process and elevated oxidative stress status. Both statins and vitamin E separately improve endothelial function in patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or advanced atherosclerosis. AIM: To evaluate the effect of atorvastatin alone or in combination with vitamin E on endothelial function and serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and vascular cells adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) in patients with ischemic heart failure. METHODS: Thirty-eight male patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were randomly divided into three groups and received either atorvastatin 10 mg/day (n = 14), a combination of atorvastatin 10 mg/day plus vitamin E 400 IU/day (n = 12), or no statin or antioxidant treatment (n=12, controls) for 4 weeks. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured using venous occlusion strain-gauge plethysmography. Forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia (RH%) or to nitrate (NTG%) was defined as the percent change of FBF from rest to the maximum flow during reactive hyperemia or after nitrate administration, respectively. RESULTS: RH% was significantly improved in both the atorvastatin-treated (p < 0.01) and atorvastatin plus vitamin E groups (p < 0.05), but the increase was significantly higher in the atorvastatin-treated group (p < 0.05). Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha and sVCAM-1 were decreased in the atorvastatin-treated group (p < 0.05 for all), but remained unaffected in the other two groups (p = NS for all). CONCLUSIONS: Low dose atorvastatin treatment improves endothelial function and reduces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules in patients with ischemic heart failure, an effect partly depressed by vitamin E.