Atorvastatin might improve ventricular electrostability and decelerate the deterioration of renal function in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus

Background and purpose: Previous studies suggested that statins have pleiotropic effects, such as improvements in endothelial function, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-oxidative effects. These effects might benefit patients with heart failure. In those patients, statins relieved symptoms, decreased the frequency of hospitalization, suppressed neurohumoral activation, and improved cardiac function. However, it remains unknown how statins impact pathophysiology of heart failure with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of atorvastatin on pathophysiology of heart failure with diabetes mellitus. Methods and results: We enrolled retrospectively 128 patients with heart failure with diabetes mellitus who were admitted from January 2003 to December 2005. Among these patients, 80 received atorvastatin (statin group) and the remaining patients served as controls (non-statin group). At study entry, there were no significant differences in the patient profiles between the two groups except for the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level being higher in the statin group. After the follow-up period of two years, the frequency of re-hospitalization, brain natriuretic peptide, premature ventricular contractions, Lown grade, and deterioration of glomerular filtration rate were significantly less in the statin group. Conclusion: Atorvastatin might benefit patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus by improving ventricular electrical stability and decelerating deterioration of renal function.