Objective: To assess the effect of statins on the circulatory levels of neutrophil chemokines, namely, granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 GCP-2, growth regulated oncogene-alpha GRO-alpha and epithelial-cell-derived neutrophil-activating peptide-78 ENA-78 in patients with diabetes.
Methods: We studied 91 diabetic patients 46 were statin-treated and 45 were not and 28 healthy subjects. We measured the levels of GCP-2, GRO-alpha, and ENA-78 in the serum for the 3 groups using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital KKUH, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January 2006 to July 2007.
Results: Circulating levels of GCP-2, ENA-78, and not GRO-alpha, were significantly higher in diabetic patients as compared to healthy subjects p<0.05. Statins dropped the levels of both GCP-2 and GRO-a. The ENA-78 levels were not affected by statin therapy. There was no correlation between the levels of these chemokines with the body mass index and glycemia in the population studied.
Conclusion: Diabetes is associated with an elevation of GCP-2 and ENA-78, and not GRO-alpha. Statins have a significant role in reducing the level of GCP-2.