1. Home>
2. Specialties>
3. General Medicine>
4. Summary and Comment

Statins Reduce C-Reactive Protein Levels

Research suggests that statin drugs have beneficial anti-inflammatory, as well as lipid-lowering, effects. In this study, supported by the maker of pravastatin, researchers explored whether the anti-inflammatory properties of statins might be mediated by an effect on C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation that itself may promote atherosclerosis.

The investigators randomized 1702 people with no prior cardiac histories (mean LDL cholesterol, 143 mg/dL) to receive either pravastatin (40 mg daily) or placebo. At 24 weeks, median CRP level had fallen significantly in the pravastatin group (from 0.20 to 0.16 mg/dL) but had not changed in the placebo group. In a parallel open-label study, 1182 patients with histories of cardiovascular disease all were given pravastatin (40 mg daily). Among these patients also, median CRP level decreased significantly (from 0.27 to 0.24 mg/dL) during 24 weeks. Changes in CRP levels were observed in many subgroups of pravastatin recipients and were independent of changes in serum cholesterol.

Comment: These data suggest that pravastatin therapy indeed is associated with decreases in blood levels of CRP. However, an editorialist notes that it remains unclear whether the small change accounts for any of the clinical benefits of statin drugs. (Note: An investigator in this study holds a patent on the use of CRP in risk stratification.)

— AS Brett

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine July 10, 2001

Citation(s):

Albert MA et al. Effect of statin therapy on C-reactive protein levels. The Pravastatin Inflammation/CRP Evaluation (PRINCE): A randomized trial and cohort study. JAMA 2001 Jul 4 286 64-70.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)

Simpson RJ. Placing PRINCE in perspective. JAMA 2001 Jul 4 286 91-93.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)

2011 Year in Review