Multiple odontogenic abscesses. Thoracic and abdomino-perineal extension in an immuno competent patient.

INTRODUCTION

Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is involved in atherothrombosis.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to investigate whether statins affect neutrophil extracellular traps activation and release (NETosis) in coronary artery disease (CAD), and whether such changes show associations with statin‑induced additional effects.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

We studied 130 patients with advanced CAD before and at least 6 months after initiation of high‑dose statin therapy with rosuvastatin 40 mg/d or atorvastatin 80 mg/d. The levels of circulating citrullinated histone H3 (H3cit), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and neutrophil elastase (NE) were assessed as proteins associated with NETosis along with thrombin generation, plasma clot permeability (Ks), clot lysis time (CLT), and fibrinolysis inhibitors.

RESULTS

Following statin therapy intensification, we observed reduced accumulation of H3cit (-30.4%), MPO (-28.1%), and NE (-25.5%; all P <0.001), all not associated with low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‑C) lowering (-25%). However, H3cit level was lower in 50 patients (38.5%) who achieved the target LDL‑C below 1.8 mmol/l (-16.5%; P = 0.004), and in 19 patients (14.6%) with LDL‑C below 1.4 mmol/l (-25.5%; P = 0.001), as compared with the remaining individuals. The reductions in H3cit and MPO levels were associated with a 42.9% decrease in C‑reactive protein (CRP) level on high‑dose statins (R = 0.855; P <0.001 and R = 0.25; P = 0.004, respectively), along with increases in Ks and reduction in thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) activity, but not with CLT or thrombin generation (all |R|, 0.24-0.4; P <0.01). In multivariable analysis, changes in CRP (β = 0.771; P <0.001), TAFI activity (β = 0.125; P = 0.013), and fibrinogen level (β = 0.106; P = 0.034) were independently associated with a decrease in H3cit concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed for the first time that high‑dose statins can reduce the level of NET‑related proteins in association with anti‑inflammatory and antithrombotic actions in CAD patients.