Comparison of levels of matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, interleukins, and tissue necrosis factor in carotid endarterectomy specimens from patients on versus not on statins preoperatively.

We performed an observational study on 137 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Patients on statins were less likely to have had symptoms in the 4 weeks before CEA (p = 0.0049) and were less likely to have spontaneous cerebral embolization detected by transcranial Doppler (p = 0.0459). Carotid plaques retrieved at CEA from patients taking statins revealed significantly lower concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (p = 0.0176), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (p = 0.0018), and interleukin-6 (p = 0.0005).