hsCRP in Japan Statin Treatment Against Recurrent Stroke (J-STARS hsCRP)

Effect of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A(HMG-CoA) Reductase Inhibitor Upon the Serum High Sensitive CRP in the Post-ischemic Patients With Hyperlipidemia During the Prospective Study of J-STARS.

Inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A(HMG-CoA) reductase can play a role in preventing recurrent vascular events from ischemic heart disease patients, whose mechanism consists in not only the reduction of serum lipid level but also anti-inflammatory effects. Serum high sensitive CRP is known to be a predictor of cardiovascular events independent of other conventional risk factors. The present substudy examine whether such pleiotrophic effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) which decreases high sensitive CRP would be observed in the post-ischemic stroke patients who have already been registered in the J-STARS, and the relationship the values of high sensitive CRP and recurrence of stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ischemic stroke except for cardiogenic embolism, from 1 month to 3 years after onset
• Hyperlipidemia and total cholesterol level of 180-240mg/dl without the prescription of statin within previous 30 days
• Able to visit outpatient department
• Informed consent on the form filled in by the patient.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Ischemic stroke of other determined cause according to the TOAST classification
• Ischemic heart disease and necessary to use statin
• Hemorrhagic disorders
• Platelet count <=100,000/ul within 3 months prior to study start
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST)>= 100IU/L within 3 months prior to study start
• Serum creatinine >=2.0mg/dl within 3 months prior to study start
• A scheduled operation
• The presence of malignant disorder