HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

Q10, Statins, and Diabetic Patients

Study Abstract

Objective: The vascular benefits of statins might be attenuated by inhibition of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) synthesis. We investigated whether oral CoQ10 supplementation improves endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients.

Research Design and Methods: In a crossover study, 23 statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with LDL-cholesterol <2.5mmol/L and endothelial dysfunction (brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) <5.5%) were randomized, double-blind, to oral CoQ10 200mg/day or placebo for 12 weeks. We measured brachial artery FMD and nitrate-mediated dilatation (NMD) by ultrasonography. Plasma F2-isoprostane and 24-hour urinary 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) levels were measured as systemic oxidative stress markers.

Results: Compared with placebo, CoQ10 supplementation increased brachial artery FMD by 1.0 ± 0.5% (p=0.04), but did not alter NMD (p=0.66). CoQ10 supplementation also did not alter plasma F2-isoprostane (p=0.58) or urinary 20-HETE levels (p=0.28).

Conclusions: CoQ10 supplementation improved endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients, possibly by altering local vascular oxidative stress.

Study Information

Authors: S.J. Hamilton, G.T. Chew, G.F. Watts
Coenzyme Q10 improves endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type-2 diabetic patients.
Diabetes Care
2009 February
University of Western Australia