This paper evaluated the effect of treatment with intensive (atorvastatin 80 mg) versus conventional (simvastatin 40 mg) lipid-lowering therapy on plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). A second aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma MPO levels and atherosclerosis progression as measured by intima-media thickness (IMT). Results of this study showed that 67% of patients in the atorvastatin group versus 70% in the simvastatin group experienced an increase in MPO levels after 2 years of treatment. Total cholesterol, calculated LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were significantly lowered by each treatment, but atorvastatin reduced cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and hs-CRP to a greater extent than simvastatin. Moreover, after 2 years, the IMT increase was greater in the simvastatin group compared to the atorvastatin group, but no correlation between MPO levels and IMT or IMT progression rate was found. The authors concluded that in FH patients, statins do not prevent an increase in MPO levels during 2 years of follow-up and MPO levels are not associated with atherosclerosis progression.
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