Improvement of arterial stiffness by reducing oxidative stress damage in elderly hypertensive patients after 6 months of atorvastatin therapy.

Atorvastatin is postulated to improve arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia; however, in elderly hypertensive patients, its effect on arterial stiffness and the possible mechanisms are unknown. A total of 73 elderly hypertensive patients were enrolled to receive atorvastatin for 6 months. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and circulating biomarkers were measured before and after the intervention. After 6 months of treatment, the patients experienced a 19.66% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.90±0.58 vs 2.33±0.56 mmol/L, P<.01) and a 10.63% reduction in baPWV (2100.89±513.21 vs 1877.56±432.06 cm/s, P=.01). In addition, a 21.79% reduction in circulating N-(epsilon)-carboxymethyl-lysine and a 20% reduction in Von Willebrand factor level were observed after treatment. Meanwhile, the activity of copper/zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) was increased by 26.64% (5.04±1.01 vs 6.87±1.83 U/L, P<.001). Correlation analysis demonstrated that the increase of Cu/Zn SOD activity was related to the reductions of arterial stiffness (r=-0.340, P=.003). Taken together, these findings suggest that atorvastatin can improve arterial stiffness possibly by reducing oxidative stress levels in elderly hypertensive patients.