PIII‐13

BACKGROUND Leptin is an adipocytokine associated with vascular inflammation. The effect of high dose atorvastatin (HDA) on circulating leptin concentrations has not been studied. We investigated whether HDA modulates leptin levels in non‐diabetic, normocholesterolemic individuals. METHODS Individuals could not have cardiovascular disease or contraindications to statins. Subjects underwent a non‐drug control period in which two leptin levels separated by two weeks were measured by immunofluorescence (baseline). Individuals then received atorvastatin 80 mg daily for 16 weeks. Serum leptin concentrations were measured every four weeks. Changes in leptin were analyzed by ANOVA, with significance set at P<0.05. RESULTS Twenty‐eight individuals were eligible (17 women); mean age was 32±11 years. Baseline total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides were 183±35, 98±31, 65±22, and 100±66 mg/dl. Median baseline serum leptin concentration was 9.9 ng/mL (IQR: 4.6–20.7 ng/ml). Women had significantly higher serum leptin than men (12.3 vs. 3.5 ng/ml, P<0.001). HDA resulted in a 36%, 60%, and 25% decrease in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, respectively, and an increase of 4% in HDL at 16 weeks. However, treatment did not significantly affect leptin (Figure).CONCLUSIONS Despite appreciable lipoprotein changes, HDA did not affect circulating leptin in normocholesterolemic, non‐diabetic individuals. The effect of HDA on leptin should be explored in higher risk patient populations. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 79 , P61–P61; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2005.12.221