Table 5.
Effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) on endothelial progenitor cells
| Ref. | Subjects | Drugs | Duration | EPCs (number/function) | Findings |
| Vasa et al[46] | 15 CAD | Atorvastatin (40 mg/d) | 4 wk | CD34+/KDR+ (flow cytometry) Migratory activity | CD34+/KDR+ was significantly increased after 4 wk of therapy Migration activity was also significantly improved after 4 wk of treatment |
| Leone et al[47] | 40 STEMI | Atorvastatin (80 mg/d) vs Atorvastatin (20 mg/d) | 16 wk | CD34+/KDR+ (flow cytometry) | Patients who took 80 mg of atorvastatin had higher CD34+/KDR+ than those who took 20 mg atorvastatin |
| Spadaccio et al[48] | 50 CAD | Atorvastatin (20 mg/d) vs Placebo | 3 wk | CD34+/CD133+ (flow cytometry) | Atorvastatin has significantly elevated EPC count after 3 wk |
| Erbs et al[49] | 42 CHF | Rosuvastatin (40 mg/d) vs Placebo | 12 wk | CD34+/KDR+ (flow cytometry) | Rosuvastatin significantly increased EPC count compared to placebo |
| Tousoulis et al[50] | 60 SHF | Rosuvastatin (10 mg/d) vs Allopurinol (300 mg/d) | 4 wk | CD34+/KDR+, CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ (flow cytometry) | CD34+/KDR+ and CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ are improved with rosuvastatin treatment compared to allopurinol |
| Huang et al[51] | 100 healthy controls 100 ICM | Atorvastatin (10 mg/d) vs Atorvastatin (40 mg/d) | 1 yr | CD34+ (flow cytometry) | CD34+ count was significantly elevated in patients under 40 mg atorvastatin after 1 yr |
| Paradisi et al[52] | 20 healthy controls | Pravastatin (40 mg/d) vs Placebo | 8 wk | CFU Tubule formation assay | CFU was increased by 31% in pravastatin group compared to placebo No difference was observed for tubule formation assay between groups |
| Hristov et al[53] | 209 CAD (without statin, n = 65, statin 10/20 mg/d, n = 101, statin 40 mg/d, n = 43) | Statin (10/20 mg/d) or 40 mg/d vs Untreated | 8 wk | CFU CD34+/KDR+ (flow cytometry) | 40 mg/d of statin treatment has significantly decreased EPC numbers Continuous statin therapy inversely correlated with EPC numbers |
CAD: Coronary artery disease; CFU: Colony forming unit; CHF: Congestive heart failure; EPC: Endothelial progenitor cells; ICM: Ischemic cardiomyopathy; SHF: Systolic heart failure; STEMI: ST-elevated myocardial infarction.