Intensive Statin Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke to Reduce the Number of Microemboli: A Preliminary, Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND

To assess whether intensive statin therapy reduces the occurrence of microemboli in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

Patients with acute ischemic stroke within 72 h of onset were randomized to the intensive statin (atorvastatin 60 mg/day, adjusted to 20 mg/day after 7 days) and control (atorvastatin 20 mg/day) groups. Combined aspirin and clopidogrel were used for antiplatelet therapy. Microemboli were monitored by transcranial Doppler on days 1 (pre-treatment), 3, and 7. Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were assessed on days 1 and 7. The modified Rankin scale (mRS) was used on day 90. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with microemboli on day 3.

RESULTS

There were 35 (58.3%) and 30 (52.6%) patients with microemboli in the intensive statin (n = 60) and control (n = 57) groups, respectively, on day 1 (p = 0.342). On day 3, there were significantly less microemboli in the intensive statin group (n = 9; 15.0%) compared with controls (n = 16; 28.1%; p = 0.002). No difference was observed in MMP-9 and hs-CRP levels on day 1, but on day 7, MMP-9 (median 79.3 vs. 95.9 μg/L; p = 0.004) and hs-CRP (median 2.01 vs. 3.60 mg/L; p = 0.020) levels were lower in the intensive statin group compared with controls. There were no differences in NIHSS scores on days 1 and 7. There was no difference in mRS on day 90.

CONCLUSION

Intensive atorvastatin therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke reduces the occurrence of microemboli and inflammation, with no overt adverse events.