Rosuvastatin decreases serum inflammatory markers and slows atherosclerosis progression rate in treated HIV-infected patients with metabolic syndrome

Pathophysiology and Clinical Management of Dyslipidemia in People Living with HIV: Sailing through Rough Seas

Infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) represent one of the greatest health burdens worldwide. The complex pathophysiological pathways that link highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HIV infection per se with dyslipidemia make the management of lipid disorders and the subsequent increase in cardiovascular risk essential for the treatment of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Amongst HAART regimens, darunavir and atazanavir, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, nevirapine, rilpivirine, and especially integrase inhibitors have demonstrated the most favorable lipid profile, emerging as sustainable options in HAART substitution. To this day, statins remain the cornerstone pharmacotherapy for dyslipidemia in PLHIV, although important drug-drug interactions with different HAART agents should be taken into account upon treatment initiation. For those intolerant or not meeting therapeutic goals, the addition of ezetimibe, PCSK9, bempedoic acid, fibrates, or fish oils should also be considered. This review summarizes the current literature on the multifactorial etiology and intricate pathophysiology of hyperlipidemia in PLHIV, with an emphasis on the role of different HAART agents, while also providing valuable insights into potential switching strategies and therapeutic options.

Rosuvastatin-Based Lipid-Lowering Therapy for the Control of LDL Cholesterol in Patients at High Vascular Risk

Vascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Spain. Hypercholesterolemia is not only a cardiovascular risk factor, but also underlies the etiopathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Therefore, reducing LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) to the goals recommended by clinical practice guidelines, is essential to decrease the risk of vascular complications. Despite this, current LDL-C control is scarce, even in subjects with high and very high risk. This is mainly due to an insufficient intensification of lipid-lowering treatment. In this context, it is essential to prescribe the appropriate therapy, adjusted to patient's needs based on their LDL-C and their vascular risk. Rosuvastatin, alone or in combination with ezetimibe, provides intensive LDL-C reductions (up to 50-55% and 60-75%, respectively), with a low risk of side effects and in an efficient manner, in patients both without and with established atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Effectiveness and safety of statins on outcomes in patients with HIV infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Statins are hypolipidaemic in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals. However, their effect on all-cause mortality and rate of discontinuation is unclear. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the impact of statins on all-cause mortality, discontinuation rates, and risk of adverse effects among HIV patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We searched four electronic databases from inception until October 2021 for trials and cohort studies evaluating the effects of statin treatment versus placebo in HIV patients. Forty-seven studies involving 91,594 patients were included. Statins were associated with significantly lower risk of discontinuation (RR, 0.701; 95% CI 0.508-0.967; p = 0.031). The risk of all-cause mortality (RR, 0.994; 95% CI 0.561-1.588; p = 0.827), any adverse effects (RR, 0.780; 95% CI 0.564-1.077; p = 0.131) and, diabetes mellitus (RR, 0.272; 95% CI 0.031-2.393; p = 0.241) with statin treatment were lower but not statistically significant compared to placebo/control. Statin treatment was associated with a trend of higher but statistically insignificant risk of myalgia (RR, 1.341; 95% CI 0.770-2.333; p = 0.299), elevated creatine kinase (RR, 1.101; 95% CI 0.457-2.651; p = 0.830) and liver enzyme activities (RR, 1.709; 95% CI 0.605-4.831; p = 0.312). Clinicians should consider the nocebo effect in the effective management of PLWH on statins, who present with common adverse effects such as myalgia and, elevated levels of creatine kinase and liver enzymes.

The interplay between statins and adipokines. Is this another explanation of statins' 'pleiotropic' effects?

Statin therapy comprises an integral part of secondary and to a lesser extent of primary cardiovascular disease prevention. This is attributed not only to their lipid-lowering properties, but as well to a plethora of pleiotropic actions. Recently, the cytokines secreted by adipose tissue, the so-called adipokines, have been proved to play a critical role in various pathophysiological functions, among which inflammation and atherosclerosis development and vulnerability. The aim of this literature review was to summarize the effects of statins and the underlying mechanisms on the circulating levels of the most common adipokines regulating atherosclerosis process, as a part of their pleiotropic function. Up to now, robust evidence implicates a significant statin-induced reduction of pro-inflammatory adipokines IL-6, TNF-a and visfatin. Weak evidence from limited, small and mostly non-randomized studies suggest increased levels of anti-inflammatory adipokines apelin, vaspin and omentin-1 after statin therapy. In the rest of most known adipokines, statins have shown either controversial (adiponectin, retinol binding protein-4 and fetuin-A) or negligible effects (leptin and resistin) on their circulating levels. Therefore, statins may favourably alter the balance of inflammatory/anti-inflammatory adipokines, implicating a novel atheroprotective mechanism. However, the interplay between statins and adipokines is still not fully elucidated and its potential clinical relevance is warranted.

Fixed-dose combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe: treating hypercholesteremia according to cardiovascular risk

Introduction: Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with lipid-lowering therapies has been associated with a decrease in the frequency of cardiovascular events.Areas covered: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed (MEDLINE), using the MeSH terms [Rosuvastatin] + [Ezetimibe] + [Dyslipidemia] + [treatment]. Original data from clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies and more useful reviews were selected.Expert opinion: While statins continue to be the cornerstone of dyslipidemia management, many patients do not attain LDL-C targets with high-intensity statins alone. Rosuvastatin is a high-intensity statin with a low risk of adverse effects and drug-drug interactions and proven benefits in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe have complementary mechanisms of action that enhance their ability to reduce LDL-C levels. Various studies have shown that the combination of rosuvastatin 10-40 mg and ezetimibe 10 mg enables considerable reductions in LDL-C (up to 60-75%) with a good safety profile in a broad spectrum of patients with hypercholesterolemia, including those at high risk and those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In addition, a fixed-dose combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe may improve adherence to medication. In this review, the available evidence on the combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe is updated.