Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Influence of atorvastatin/probucol combination on blood lipid and serum c-reactive protein levels in patients with cerebral infarction

Tianshu Wang, Chun Li, Wenjing Deng, Ruina Niu, Ran Du, Junfang Teng

Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;

For correspondence:- Junfang Teng Email: tjf05656@163.com

Received: 6 June 2015 Accepted: 3 November 2015 Published: 27 December 2015

Citation: Wang T, Li C, Deng W, Niu R, Du R, Teng J. Influence of atorvastatin/probucol combination on blood lipid and serum c-reactive protein levels in patients with cerebral infarction. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(12):2313-2317 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i12.23

© 2015 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: To explore effects of atorvastatin in combination with probucol on blood lipid and serum C-reactive protein of patients with cerebral infarction.

Methods: In total, 120 patients with confirmed cerebral infarction were randomly divided into test and control groups (n = 60 each). Control group was given atorvastatin 20 mg, once every night, while test group received 0.5 g probucol twice daily plus atorvastatin 20 mg nightly. The treatment for both groups lasted for six months. Changes in carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), plaque area, vulnerability, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level (hs-CRP) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were observed before and after treatment and compared between groups. In 6-month follow up, incidence of newly occurred or reoccurred cerebral ischemic stroke were observed and compared between groups. Occurrence of severe untoward reaction was also noted.

Results: In test group, LDL level significantly decreased after treatment, (p < 0.01), and when compared to control group (p < 0.05). CIMT, plaque area and number of vulnerable plaque after treatment were significantly different compared to the values prior to treatment and control group (p < 0.05). Incidence of cerebral ischemic stroke was similarly lower for the test group than control after treatment (p < 0.05). Both groups did not develop any severe untoward reaction.

Conclusion: Atorvastatin, in combination with probucol, can be used to regulate blood lipid, lower LDL level, reduce number of vulnerable plaque, stabilize and reverse plaque, and lower risk of cerebral ischemic stroke of carotid atherosclerostic plaque. This work provides a theoretical basis and intervention measure for preventing ischemic stroke.

Keywords: Probucol, Atorvastatin, C-reactive protein, Cerebral infarction, Carotid plaque, Blood lipid