Results of a UK study in this week's issue of The Lancet, the international medical journal, suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of statins (a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs) could be effective in relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

The inflammatory nature of rheumatoid arthritis puts sufferers at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Statins are well known for reducing vascular risk among patients who do not have inflammatory disease; Iain McInnes, Naveed Sattar and colleagues from the Glasgow Royal Infirmary at the University of Glasgow investigated whether statins would reduce inflammatory factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

'116 patients from Glasgow Royal Infirmary were randomly allocated either daily 40 mg of atorvastatin drugs or placebo in addition to RA therapy,' explains Professor Iain McInness, 'All patients were assessed after 6 months. Among patients given the atorvastatin drug there was a small but statistically significant improvement in arthritis symptoms compared with those given placebo.'

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For further details please contact Professor McInnes, Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 0141 211 4688 or email: i.b.mcinnes@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

Full paper details can be found at: The Lancet Website.

First published: 17 June 2004