Background: The positive effects of statin therapy in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) may
result from their anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects. The aim of the study was to
compare the influence of standard and high-dose statin therapies in ACS on the serum markers
of immune and platelet activation.
Material and methods: We examined 44 patients with ACS randomised into two groups:
Group S(+) - 22 patients with ACS who were administered high doses of simvastatin (80 mg
per day) over a period of one month from a cardiac event; Group S(–) - 22 patients with ACS
treated by standard doses of statins. In all patients successful percutaneous coronary interventions
(PCI) were performed. Laboratory analyses were performed at the baseline on the 7th and
30th days from an ACS and involved the following: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF),
tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, soluble forms of TNF receptor (sTNFR 1 and 2),
Interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-10.
Results: During a one-month follow-up we found no difference between clinical data and the
baseline levels of the assessed markers in the groups examined. There were no differences in
the consecutive measurements of TNF-a, sTNFR1, sTNFR 2, IL-2, and IL-10 levels. Serum
concentrations of PDGF were significantly lower on the 7th and 30th days in group S(+)
(7th: 6111 ± 1834 pg/ml, p = 0.037; 30th: 5735 ± 1089 pg/ml, p = 0.016, respectively) in
comparison to group S(–) (7th: 7292 ± 1952 pg/ml; 30th: 7034 ± 2008 pg/ml, respectively).
Conclusions: High doses of simvastatin administered over a period of one month following an
acute coronary syndrome were associated with a significant decrease in serum PDGF levels
without influence on the activation of serum immune markers