This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tanaka, N. Articles by Ohsuzu, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tanaka, N. Articles by Ohsuzu, F.

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2006;26:e129.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Effect of Atorvastatin on Plasma Osteopontin Levels in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia

Nobukiyo Tanaka; Yukihiko Momiyama; Reiko Ohmori; Atsushi Yonemura; Makoto Ayaori; Masatsune Ogura; Shojiro Sawada; Masatoshi Kusuhara; Haruo Nakamura; Fumitaka Ohsuzu

National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

To the Editor

High levels of osteopontin (OPN) mRNA and proteins were reported in atherosclerotic plaques.^1,2 OPN-transgenic mice developed marked atherosclerosis.³ We reported plasma OPN levels to be high in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and to correlate with the severity of CAD.⁴ We also reported high plasma levels of OPN in patients with restenosis.⁵ These suggest that OPN plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis. In vitro, Takemoto et al⁶ demonstrated statins to reduce OPN mRNA in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells and upregulated OPN mRNA in aorta of diabetic rats.

We investigated the effects of 20 mg/d versus 5 mg/d atorvastatin on plasma OPN levels in 40 hypercholesterolemic patients without any history of cardiovascular disease. Our study was approved by institutional ethics committee. If patients were taking statins, these were discontinued. After 4-week washout period, fasting blood samples were taken after informed consent was obtained. If LDL-cholesterol >150 mg/dL, patients were randomized to either dose. Repeat blood sampling was scheduled after 6-month treatment. OPN levels were measured by ELISA (Human OPN assay kit, IBL). LDL-cholesterol and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were measured by direct enzymatic method and by BNII nephelometer (Dade Behring). Differences between 2 groups were evaluated by unpaired t test for continuous variables, by Mann–Whitney U test for nonparametric variables (hsCRP), and by ² test for categorical variables. Differences between baseline and 6-month were evaluated by paired t test for parametric variables and by Wilcoxon rank test for hsCRP. Correlations between changes in . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Shaheen and N. L. Weintraub Osteopontin: A Bona Fide Mediator of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, March 1, 2007; 27(3): 439 - 441. [Full Text] [PDF]