Very rapid effect of pitavastatin on microvascular function in comparison to rosuvastatin: reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometric study

Yasushi Kono,1 Shota Fukuda,1 Kenei Shimada,2 Koki Nakanishi,2 Kenichiro Otsuka,2 Tomoichiro Kubo,1 Satoshi Jissho,1 Haruyuki Taguchi,1 Junichi Yoshikawa,3 Minoru Yoshiyama21Department of Medicine, Osaka Ekisaikai Hospital, Nishi-ku, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Osaka City University School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan; 3Nishinomiya Watanabe Cardiovascular Center, Nishinomiya, JapanBackground: It has been reported that pitavastatin improves endothelial function faster than other statins. Recently introduced reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT) provides objective and quantitative assessment of peripheral microvascular function.Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether peripheral microvascular function improved 2 hours after pitavastatin in subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD) using RH-PAT, and the results were compared with those of rosuvastatin.Methods: This study included 94 subjects with CAD, assigned to a group given 2 mg of pitavastatin (n = 36), a group given 2.5 mg of rosuvastatin (n = 38), and a control group (n = 20). RH-PAT examinations were performed before and 2 hours after statin administration.Results: The RH-PAT index increased 2 hours after pitavastatin administration from 1.82 ± 0.45 to 2.16 ± 0.62 (P = 0.02), whereas there were no differences in the RH-PAT index in the rosuvastatin group (1.79 ± 0.71 to 1.91 ± 0.53, P = 0.09) and the control group (1.68 ± 0.36 to 1.84 ± 0.58, P = 0.4). No significant changes were observed at 2 hours in serum cholesterol levels in each group.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that peripheral microvascular function improved 2 hours after a single clinical dose of pitavastatin, but not after rosuvastatin.Keywords: coronary artery disease, statin, microvascular function