Comprehensive Summary
The objective of this study was to evaluate whether atorvastatin administration reduced the onset of the inflammatory response in patients with acute influenza. A total of 116 patients, admitted to the emergency department for acute influenza, were selected. In a randomized double-blind design, 59 patients received atorvastatin 40 mg and 57 received placebo. The primary endpoint was serum IL-6 change from baseline to 72 hours. Symptom reports were collected daily for 10 days. IL-6 levels did not significantly differ between groups (P=0.468). Patients treated with atorvastatin reported greater symptomatic improvement (P=0.05).This effect was most pronounced in patients treated within 48 hours of symptom onset, with faster resolution (P<0.001).
Outcomes and Implications
Atorvastatin improved clinical outcomes compared with placebo, particularly when administered within 48 hours of symptom onset. It is of particular interest because, beyond its lipid-lowering effects, Atorvastatin has well-documented pleiotropic actions such as endothelial stabilization, antithrombotic effects, and modulation of immune responses. Although IL-6 is a common biomarker of inflammation, its stability despite atorvastatin therapy, suggests that other mechanisms may mediate clinical improvement. Further studies should examine other statins, additional cytokine pathways, and the mechanisms underlying symptom improvement independent of IL-6.