Aims: To compare the effects of lipophilic simvastatin and hydrophilic rosuvastatin on plasma adiponectin and glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with non-ischaemic chronic heart failure (NICHF).
Methods and results: Seventy-one stable outpatients with NICHF, who were already receiving standard therapy for CHF, were randomized to simvastatin (n = 35) or rosuvastatin (n = 36). Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), total adiponectin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, HbA1c, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), a marker of oxidative stress, were measured before and 4 months after treatment with simvastatin or rosuvastatin. There was no difference in the baseline characteristics including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and biochemical parameters between the two groups. In both groups, plasma BNP levels and LVEF did not change after 4 months. Plasma levels of adiponectin and oxLDL did not change and HbA1c level was slightly increased (6.0 +/- 0.9 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.9%, P = 0.053) in the simvastatin group. In contrast, plasma adiponectin level was significantly increased (12.3 +/- 7.3 vs. 14.0 +/- 8.2 microg/mL, P = 0.012) concomitant with a significant reduction in oxLDL and HbA1c (oxLDL: 8.8 +/- 4.7 vs. 7.6 +/- 4.7 U/mL, P = 0.0059; HbA1c: 6.0 +/- 0.7 vs. 5.9 +/- 0.7%, P = 0.002) in the rosuvastatin group.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that hydrophilic rosuvastatin but not lipophilic simvastatin increases adiponectin and decreases HbA1c levels in patients with NICHF.