EFFECT OF OBESITY AND STATIN;

Objectives: To observe the effect of obesity and subsequent atorvastatinadministration on MPV in high fat diet induced obese male and female Sprague Dawley rats.Study Design: Randomized control trial (RCT). Setting: Department of Physiology, Army MedicalCollege, Rawalpindi. Animal procurement and blood sampling was done at National Instituteof Health (NIH), Islamabad and biochemical assays were performed at Centre for Research inExperimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. Period: Thestudy was completed in 12 months. Material and Methods: Ninety healthy Sprague Dawley(male and female) rats were purchased and divided randomly into three equal groups. Ratsin normal control group (Group I) were given normal chow diet for three weeks. Rats in obesecontrol group (Group II) were given high fat diet for three weeks. Rats in obese treated group(Group III) were administered atorvastatin for three weeks in a dose of 10 mg/kg/day orally bygavage method after obesity induction. Terminal sampling was done at the end of the studyby intra-cardiac puncture. MPV is a part of blood complete picture that was analysed by KX 21Sysmex Hematology Analyzer. Results: High fat diet induced obesity resulted in a significant(p < 0.05) increase in MPV. The MPV was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased after atorvastatinadministration. The result was comparable for both genders. Conclusions: Obesity increasesMPV and hence the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcome. Atorvastatin apart from its knownlipid lowering effect, decreases MPV and can play a beneficial role in decreasing cardiovascularmorbidity and mortality.