Variable | Atorvastatin | Placebo | Treatment difference, atorvastatin minus placebo (95% CI) |
Mean (SD) clinical outcomes | |||
Morning PEF (l/min) | 387.0 (106.5) | 393.9 (114.2) | −0.5 (−10.6 to 9.6) |
Evening PEF (l/min) | 395.3 (101.0) | 403.8 (116.3) | 4.6 (−5.8 to 15.0) |
FEV1 pre-salbutamol (l) | 2.7 (0.8) | 2.7 (0.8) | 0.01 (−0.01 to 0.10) |
FEV1 post-salbutamol (l) | 3.1 (0.8) | 3.1 (0.8) | −0.05 (−0.13 to 0.03) |
PC20 methacholine (mg/ml)† | 2.7 (0.9–10.3) | 3.0 (0.6–9.6) | 0.05 (−1.6 to −1.7) |
ACQ | 1.4 (0.9) | 1.5 (0.8) | −0.03 (−0.28 to 0.21) |
AQLQ, median (IQR) | 5.9 (5.4–6.6) | 5.9 (5.4–6.4) | 0.1 (−0.1 to 0.3) |
Sputum differential cell count and proportion (%) | |||
Total cell count (×106) | 1.7 (0.9–2.8) | 1.6 (0.6–4.7) | −0.07 (−0.14 to 0.01) |
Macrophage (×104) | 134.3 (71.0–201.0) | 171.3 (135.0–222.8) | −44.9 (−80.1 to −9.7)* |
Macrophage (%) | 37.0 (20.5–52.5) | 45.3 (36.5–58.5) | −10.9 (−20.5 to −1.2)* |
Neutrophil (×104) | 133.3 (81.5–234.0) | 100.0 (50.3–167.8) | 47.1 (−2.0 to 96.2) |
Neutrophil (%) | 34.8 (22.0–65.0) | 25.0 (15.0–41.9) | 13.1 (1.8 to 24.4)* |
Eosinophil (×104) | 3.8 (2.0–10.5) | 5.0 (1.0–10.5) | −12.1 (−32.9 to 8.6) |
Eosinophil (%) | 1.0 (0.5–3.0) | 1.5 (0.4–3.0) | −2.7 (−7.1 to 1.7) |
Lymphocyte (×104) | 2.0 (1.0–4.5) | 1.9 (1.0–5.0) | 0.4 (−0.9 to 1.7) |
Lymphocyte (%) | 0.6 (0.4–1.0) | 0.5 (0.3–1.4) | 0.15 (−0.18 to 0.49) |
Bronchial epithelial cell (×104) | 38.8 (17.0–59.0) | 33.5 (18.8–69.3) | −3.5 (−23.3 to 16.3) |
Bronchial epithelial cell (%) | 10.3 (4.0–24.0) | 11.9 (5.0–17.8) | 0.28 (−5.32 to 5.88) |
Sputum mediators | |||
LTB4 | 50.4 (27.6–79.8) | 68.2 (28.6–130.2) | −88.1 (−156.4 to −19.9)* |
IFNγ | 23.9 (3.8–68.0) | 21.5 (3.1–155.5) | −38.4 (−175.4 to 98.6) |
MPO (ng/ml) | 87.5 (51.0–193.0) | 112.3 (56.5–206.0) | −32.6 (−112.8 to 47.7) |
TNFα | 12.5 (4.7–45.3) | 16.2 (4.4–123.0) | −30.3 (−111.6 to 51.0) |
IL8 | 1.5 (0.5–3.6) | 1.5 (0.6–5.1) | −1.6 (−5.7 to 2.5) |
Exhaled NO (ppb) | 16.2 (9.0–38.1) | 17.3 (9.0–42.7) | −1.6 (−7.1 to 3.9) |
Serum biomarkers | |||
hs-CRP (mg/l) | 0.64 (0.45–1.46) | 1.06 (0.58–2.48) | −0.65 (−1.38 to 0.09) |
sICAM (ng/ml) | 201 (173–222) | 204 (164–239) | −6.5 (−21.4 to 8.4) |
TNFα | 1.03 (0.60–1.90) | 1.17 (0.77–1.87) | −0.5 (2.5 to 1.4) |
IL5 | 1.87 (1.87–21.63) | 1.87 (1.87–27.96) | −3.4 (−11.3 to 4.5) |
IL6 | 1.28 (0.74–3.12) | 1.19 (0.69–3.56) | −0.02 (−1.89 to 1.85) |
IL8 | 0.71 (0.56–12.17) | 8.06 (0.56–17.54) | −0.5 (−1.5 to 0.5) |
Serum biochemical markers | |||
Triglycerides (mmol/l) | 0.9 (0.6–1.3) | 1.1 (0.8–1.6) | −0.24 (−0.54 to 0.05) |
Cholesterol (mmol/l) | 3.3 (2.9–3.9) | 5.1 (4.5–5.7) | −1.7 (−1.9 to −1.5)*** |
HDL-cholesterol (mmol/l) | 1.2 (1.1–1.5) | 1.4 (1.1–1.7) | −0.14 (−0.26 to −0.02)* |
Bilirubin (μmol/l) | 10.0 (8.0–13.0) | 8.0 (6.0–10.0) | 1.8 (0.7 to 2.9)** |
AST (IU/l) | 23.0 (18.0–27.0) | 20.0 (16.0–24.0) | 2.9 (0.8 to 4.9)** |
ALT (IU/l) | 26 (18–35) | 20 (15–33) | 5.6 (2.7 to 8.5)*** |
Mediator levels in pg/ml unless otherwise indicated.
Data represented as median (IQR) unless otherwise indicated.
*p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.
†Geometric mean (range).
ACQ, Asthma Control Questionnaire; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AQoL, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; CRP, C-reactive protein; diff, differential; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; HDL, high density lipoprotein; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; LT, leukotriene; MPO, myeloperoxidase; NO, nitric oxide; ppb, parts per billion; PC20, concentration of methacholine that reduces the FEV1 by 20%; PEF, peak expiratory flow rate; sICAM, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule; TNFα, tumour necrosis factor α.