SCIENTIFIC LETTER

Novel anti-inflammatory effect of statins: reduction of CD4⁺CD28^null T lymphocyte frequency in patients with unstable angina

S Brugaletta, L M Biasucci, M Pinnelli, G Biondi-Zoccai, G Di Giannuario, G Trotta, G Liuzzo, F Crea

Department of Cardiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Salvatore Brugaletta
Department of Cardiology, Largo A Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; salvatore.brugaletta@fastwebnet.it

Accepted 20 July 2005

Keywords: statins; lymphocytes; angina; inflammation

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Statins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, are potent inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis and have greatly improved the management of ischaemic heart disease. Recent studies suggest that direct antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects associated with treatment with statins may at least partly account for the reduction of cardiovascular events. In particular, statins reduce high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumour necrosis factor , and metalloproteinase 9 production.¹ Recently it has been shown that statins can modify the balance of T helper subset 1 (Th 1) and 2 (Th 2) cells by inhibition of Th1 development and augmentation of Th2 development of CD4⁺ T cells.² In the present observational retrospective study we observed a relation between statin use and frequency of an unusual Th1 subset of T lymphocytes, CD4⁺CD28^null, which is often expanded in unstable angina.³

We studied 111 consecutive patients (mean (SD) age 64 (9) years; 32 women) . . . [Full text of this article]

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