The effects of atorvastatin on intimal hyperplasia after endothelial denudation

2. ABSTRACTTHE EFFECTS OF ATORVASTAT N ON INTIMAL HYPERPLASIAAFTER ENDOTHELIAL DENUDATIONNeointimal hyperplasia plays a role in the physiopathology ofatherosclerosis and develops secondary to trauma during vascular intervention. It isclinical problem resulted from migration and proliferation of smooth muscle andaggregation of extracellular matrix. It is a rational approach that the inhibition of themolecules regulating the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle inthe blocking of negative process resulted from intimal hyperplasia. In this study, weexplored the effect of atorvastatin, a hidroxy-methyl-glutaryl reductase inhibitor, onintimal hyperplasia developing after vascular endothelial damage.14 white New Zealand male rabbit was includen in the study. 2 groupincluding 7 rabbits to which endothelial damage was generated by balloon in theirabdominal aorta, was constructed. Only endothelial damage was generated byballoon to rabbits in group 1 (control group). 2.0 mg/kg of atorvastatinadministration, daily, via gastric gavage was started 48 hours before the interventionand gone on through 28 days after the intervention. At the end of the experimentduration, the intima/media ratio in each section was obtained by measuring intimaland medial areas in abdominal aorta sections.Intimal area was measured as 0,252±0,07 mm² and 1,2771±0.255 mm² inatorvastatin and control group, respectively. Increase of intimal area in atorvastatingroup is statistically significantly lower than that of the control group (p=0.002). Theratio of intima/media was calculated as 0,287±,080 and 1,280±0,304 in atorvastatinand control group, respectively. The ratio of intima/media in atorvastatin group wasdecreased significantly (p=0.002). Medial area was measured as 0,892±0,104 mm²and 1,007±0,111 mm² in atorvastatin and control group, respectively. There was nostatistically significant changes between each group in terms of medial area (p>0.05).As a result, it is suggested that atorvastatin administration after percutaneousvascular intervention may be useful for blocking of development of early restenosisindependently of the lipid reducing effects.Key words: Intimal Hyperplasia, Atorvastatin.2