Simvastatin exerts its anti-inflammatory effect in hypercholesterolaemic patients by decreasing the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.

Aim: To assess the effect of simvastatin on serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, macrophage colony stimulating factor, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A in hypercholesterolaemic patients without coronary heart disease.

Methods: Sixty consecutive hypercholesterolaemic patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 process to 40 mg of simvastatin daily (n=40) and to hypolipidaemic only diet (n=20) for 3 months. Blood was taken at baseline and at the end of the study and analysed for lipids and inflammatory markers.

Results: From the inflammatory markers only MCP-1 was decreased significantly (217.4+/-48 versus 177+/-75 pg/ml, p<0.001) after treatment with simvastatin and this reduction was independent of lipid changes.

Conclusion: Simvastatin significantly decreases only MCP-1 levels in hypercholesterolaemic patients suggesting that this molecule is probably a sensitive marker to detect the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin in blood.