Elevated ICAM-1 and MCP-1 plasma levels in subjects at high cardiovascular risk are diminished by atorvastatin treatment. Atorvastatin on Inflammatory Markers study: A substudy of Achieve Cholesterol Targets Fast with Atorvastatin Stratified Titration

Background Plasma levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (sMCP-1) are associated with increased risk for future coronary events. However, the effect of statins on these inflammatory markers has hardly been studied. We analyzed whether treatment with the different doses of atorvastatin affects sICAM-1 and sMCP-1 plasma levels in subjects at high cardiovascular risk. Methods Achieve Cholesterol Targets Fast with Atorvastatin Stratified Titration was a 12-week, prospective, multicenter, open-label trial that enrolled a total of 2117 subjects with coronary heart disease (CHD), CHD equivalent (defined as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or cerebrovascular disease), or a 10-year CHD risk >20%. Subjects with low-density–lipoprotein cholesterol between 100 and 220 mg/dL (2.6-5.7 mmol/L) and triglycerides