Effects of pitavastatin on plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in hyperlipidemic patients

Abstract

Shosaku Nomura1, Takehito Taniura2, Akira Shouzu3, Seitarou Omoto4, Norihito Inami4, Shinya Fujita1, Takeshi Tamaki1, Takashi Yokoi1, Toshiki Shimizu1, Tomoki Ito11First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Ueda Hospital, Osaka, Japan; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Izuo Hospital, Osaka, Japan; 4Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka JapanAbstract: The effects of statins on two platelet activation markers, plasiminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 and adiponectin, were investigated in 68 patients with hyperlipidemia. The patients were treated with pitavastatin with a dosage of 2 mg daily. The plasma levels of platelet-derived microparticles (PDMP), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), sP-selectin, PAI-1, and adiponectin were measured at baseline and after 6 months of treatment in both groups. In hyperlipidemic patients, the plasma levels were higher in PDMP, sCD40L, sP-selectin, and PAI-1, and lower in adiponectin, compared to the normolipidemic controls. Plasma PDMP and sCD40L were positively correlated, while plasma adiponectin was negatively correlated with the plasma levels of PAI-1. No significant differences were observed in the plasma levels of PDMP, sCD40L, sP-selectin, and PAI-1 before and after treatment. A significant increase in plasma adiponectin levels was observed after 6 months of treatment with pitavastatin. When the patients treated with pitavastatin were divided into two groups according to the adiponectin response to pitavastatin treatment, significant decreases in plasma PAI-1, PDMP, and sCD40L levels were observed after pitavastatin treatment in the responder group. These findings suggest that PDMP, sCD40L, and PAI-1 may participate in the development of atherothrombosis in patients with hyperlipidemia, and that pitavastatin may exert an adiponectin-dependent anti-atherothrombotic effect in hyperlipidemic patients.Keywords: hyperlipidemia, PAI-1, pitavastatin, adiponectin, atherothrombosis