Plasma VEGF and IL-8 Levels in Patients with Mixed Dyslipidaemia. Effect of Rosuvastatin Monotherapy or its Combination at a Lower Dose with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Pilot Study

Objectives: Hypercholesterolaemia is associated with increased plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-8 (IL-8). We studied the effect of rosuvastatin monotherapy or its combination at a lower dose with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) in the VEGF and IL-8 plasma levels in patients with mixed dyslipidaemia. Methods: Fifty patients with mixed dyslipidaemia were recruited. Fifty-five normolipidaemic, apparently healthy, ageand sex- matched subjects acted as controls. Patients were randomized to 40 mg/day rosuvastatin (R group, n=26) or 10 mg/day rosuvastatin plus 2 g/day of ω-3 PUFAs (R+O group, n=24). The levels of VEGF and IL-8 in plasma, were assessed at baseline and 3 months post-treatment. Results: At baseline, both plasma VEGF and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in the R and R+O groups compared with controls (p<0.04, p<0.03 and p<0.02, p<0.03, respectively). Post-treatment levels of VEGF were decreased in the R group while a significant increase was observed in the R+O group, compared with baseline levels (p<0.02 and p<0.03, respectively). Post-treatment IL-8 levels were decreased in both R and R+O groups (p<0.03 and p<0.04, respectively). Conclusions: We show for the first time that either rosuvastatin monotherapy or its combination at a lower dose with ω-3 PUFAs reduces IL-8 levels in mixed dyslipidaemic patients. High-dose rosuvastatin monotherapy reduces VEGF values, whereas a significant increase is observed in patients receiving lower dose rosuvastatin with ω-3 PUFAs. The clinical significance of the above findings regarding cardiovascular risk remains to be established.