Atorvastatin treatment increases plasma bilirubin but not HMOX1 expression in stable angina patients.

In vitro and animal studies indicate that statins increase heme oxygenase-1 gene (HMOX1) expression, which then, presumably, increases plasma bilirubin concentration. However, clinical confirmation that statins concomitantly increase HMOX1 expression and plasma bilirubin concentration is lacking. We hypothesized that in patients with stable angina atorvastatin therapy (20 mg/day for 10 weeks) concomitantly increases total bilirubin concentration and HMOX1 expression, as assessed non-invasively by plasma analysis.In 44 patients with stable angina plasma concentrations of total bilirubin, HMOX1 mRNA and HMOX1 protein were measured before and after the statin treatment, as well as plasma conce…