Effect of statin therapy on serum trace element status in dyslipidaemic subjects

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2005;19(1):61-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2005.06.003.

Abstract

Patients previously not treated with a lipid-lowering agent (n = 20; mean age 49.15 +/- 3.28 years) were treated with either 10 mg/day of Simvastatin (n = 11), or Atorvastatin (n = 9) for 4 months. Fourteen additional patients were recruited from the same clinic at the same hospital as a control group. The medication of these latter patients was unaltered for 4 months and the same parameters were measured as for the statin groups. Serum concentrations of zinc, copper, caeruloplasmin, selenium, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured together with their lipid profiles pre- and post-treatment. In addition to reducing serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p < 0.0001), statin treatment was associated with a significant reduction in mean serum zinc (9%, p = 0.03), copper (9%, p < 0.01), caeruloplasmin (24%, p < 0.05), and median CRP (45%, p < 0.03). Similar changes were not observed in the control patients. No significant effects were observed for serum selenium, copper/caeruloplasmin ratio, or GPx (p > 0.05) in either statin or control groups. These changes may be related to the known anti-inflammatory properties of the statin class of drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Atorvastatin
  • Blood Chemical Analysis
  • Ceruloplasmin / metabolism
  • Female
  • Heptanoic Acids / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Hyperlipidemias* / blood
  • Hyperlipidemias* / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Lipids / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrroles / therapeutic use*
  • Simvastatin / therapeutic use*
  • Trace Elements / blood*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Heptanoic Acids
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Lipids
  • Pyrroles
  • Trace Elements
  • Atorvastatin
  • Simvastatin
  • Ceruloplasmin