Click on image to view larger version.

Figure 2 The effect of patient plasma collected before and after therapy with atorvastatin on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) synthesis by human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC). The VEGF synthesis in HCASMC (in % of untreated cells, black bar) incubated with the plasma of patients with coronary artery disease (white bars) collected before atorvastatin therapy was increased (*p < 0.003 vs. untreated cells). The plasma collected after atorvastatin treatment reversed this stimulatory effect (^#p < 0.03 vs. the plasma collected before therapy).