Title

Preoperative lipid-control with simvastatin reduces the risk of postoperative thrombocytosis and thrombotic complications following CABG

Purpose

To evaluate if preoperative lipid control using simvastatin reduces the risk of postoperative thrombocytosis

Design

Randomized study

Patients

77 patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease and hypercholesterolemia, planned for CABG .

Treatment regimen

No preoperation lipid control (group 1; n=37) vs simvastatin 20 mg daily 4 weeks prior to surgery (group 2; n=40)

Results

• In group 2, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol ratio were significantly lowered by simvastatin (-2 and
29% respectively).
• Postoperative thrombocytosis (platelet count ³ 400000/micromol) occurred significantly in group 1 (81%) compared
with 3% in group 2.
• Myocardial infarction after the 7th postoperative day was more often diagnosed in group 1, 14 vs 0% in group 2
• Postoperative transient renal failure occurred also more significantly more frequently in group 1, 24% compared with
8% in group 2.

Conclusion

Lipid control with simvastatin prior to CABG reduces the risk of postoperative thrombocytosis, thus lowers the risk for thrombotic complications.