Background: This study investigated acute (in vitro) and long-term (in vivo) effects of statins on the vascular function of human radial artery (RA) and left internal thoracic artery (LITA).
Methods: RA and LITA specimens were divided into vascular rings, which were incubated in the absence or presence of 10(-6) mol/L Cerivastatin for 2 or 24 hours. In terms of preoperative statin treatment, four groups included: group 1 [preop statin(-)/in vitro cerivastatin(-)]; group 2 [preop(-)/in vitro(+)]; group 3 [preop(+)/in vitro(-)]; and group 4 [preop(+)/in vitro(+)]. Endothelial function was assessed with acetylcholine (10(-9) to 10(-5) mol/L) following contraction by 3 x 10(-8) mol/L endothelin-1.
Results: Although endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was higher in RA (57.7% +/- 3.5%) than in LITA (46.5% +/- 3.8%, p = 0.046), there was no significant evidence that it depended on the preoperative use of statins or incubation period. In vitro incubation with cerivastatin significantly increased endothelium-dependent vasodilatation by 14.2% +/- 2.4% (p < 0.0001) independent of artery types (RA/LITA). There was no significant evidence that endothelium-dependent vasodilatation depended on the preoperative use of statins or incubation period.
Conclusions: In vitro incubation with cerivastatin preserved endothelial function more effectively than preoperative use of statins. This could have implications to perioperative use of statins for patients undergoing coronary surgery.