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Simvastatin Attenuates Plaque Inflammation

Evaluation by Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography

Nobuhiro Tahara, MD, PhD^_*, Hisashi Kai, MD, PhD^_*,_*, Masatoshi Ishibashi, MD, PhD, Hiroyuki Nakaura, MD, PhD^_*, Hayato Kaida, MD, Kenkichi Baba, MD, Naofumi Hayabuchi, MD, PhD and Tsutomu Imaizumi, MD, PhD^_*

^_* Department of Medicine/Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardio-Vascular Medicine
Department of Radiology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan

View larger version (85K): [in this window] [in a new window] [Download PPT slide]   Figure 1 Representative transaxial images of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) (left) , enhanced computerized tomography (CT) (middle) , and co-registration of PET and CT (PET/CT) (right) showing 18 FDG uptakes in the carotid arterial plaques (arrowheads) of 2 patients.

View larger version (66K): [in this window] [in a new window] [Download PPT slide]   Figure 2 Effects of simvastatin on 18 FDG uptake in atherosclerotic plaque inflammation. Representative 18 FDG-PET images at baseline and after 3 months of treatment (post-treatment) with dietary management alone (diet) or simvastatin. (Top) Dietary management alone had no effect on 18 FDG uptakes (arrows) in the aortic arch and the carotid arteries. (Middle) 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptakes were attenuated by simvastatin treatment. (Bottom) The co-registered images of 18 FDG-PET and CT clearly show that the plaque 18 FDG uptakes (arrowheads) disappeared after 3-month treatment with simvastatin. Abbreviations as in Figure 1 .

View larger version (23K): [in this window] [in a new window] [Download PPT slide]   Figure 3 Quantitative analysis of the effects of simvastatin on 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in atherosclerotic plaque inflammation. (A) For quantitative analysis, the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVs) were evaluated in individual plaques and averaged for analysis of the results of the subject-wise SUV at baseline and after 3-month treatment (post-treatment). (B) Changes in plaque SUVs from baseline. Plaque SUVs were significantly reduced by simvastatin, but not by dietary management alone (diet). SUV denotes the changes in the SUV after treatment. Bar = 1 x SD.

View larger version (36K): [in this window] [in a new window] [Download PPT slide]   Figure 4 Changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (A) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (B) after 3-month treatment with dietary management alone (diet) or simvastatin.

View larger version (15K): [in this window] [in a new window] [Download PPT slide]   Figure 5 Correlations of changes in plaque 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptakes (SUV) with alterations in HDL cholesterol (HDL, mg/dl) and LDL cholesterol (LDL, mg/dl) after 3-month treatment with dietary management alone (diet) or simvastatin. SUV had a significant correlation only with HDL in the statin group. Abbreviations as in Figure 4 .