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Statin therapy improved disease activity in SLE patients
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus experienced significant clinical improvement in disease activity after treatment with statin therapy, according to study results.
Researchers tested plasma/serum samples from 21 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; mean age, 44.6 years; 86% women) placed on statin therapy before and after at least 6 months of treatment. Systemic Lupus Activity Measure-Revised (SLAM-R) scores were used to assess disease activity.
A multiplex immunoassay determined interleukin-1B, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) levels. ELISA assays were used to measure soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and anticardiolipin antibodies. Nephelometry measured high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Plasma/serum samples also were taken from 32 frequency-matched control patients (85% women, aged 18 to 65 years) who had no evidence of inflammatory or autoimmune disease.
Patients with SLE had significantly elevated median levels of IL-6 (9.84 vs. 0), VEGF (261.19 vs. 88.29), sCD40L (1737.41 vs. 1635) and TNF-a (7.19 vs. 0) compared with controls. There was a decrease in SLAM-R scores after patients received statin therapy (P=.0199); however biomarker levels did not experience significant changes. SLAM-R scores did not have a significant association with biomarkers.
“We have shown that statin therapy resulted in statistically significant clinical improvement in SLE patients as measured by reductions in SLAM-R scores and may be beneficial in the treatment of lupus patients,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.