Fluvastatin Decreases Oxidative Stress in Kidney Transplant Patients A. Yildiz a, *, C.B. Gul b , N. Ocak d , A. Ersoy a , S. Sag c , A. Oruc a , Y. Ayar a , T. Dagel b , M. Dirican d , and M. Gullulu a a Department of Nephrology, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey; b Department of Nephrology, Bursa Sevket Yilmaz Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey; c Department of Cardiology, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey; and d Department of Biochemistry, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey ABSTRACT Objective. Oxidative stress has been suggested to have a pivotal role in the development of cardiovascular disease in kidney transplant patients (KTPs). The effects of fluvastatin on oxidative status in KTPs have not been well evaluated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of fluvastatin on oxidative status by investigating erythrocyte super- oxide dismutase (SOD), erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum paraoxonase (PON1), and serum arylesterase (ARE), along with lipid peroxidation products, serum malonldialdehyde, and apolipoprotein B malondialdehyde (ApoB MDA). Methods. Eighteen KTPs were included in the present study. Blood samples were obtained after 1 night’s fast. Erythrocyte SOD, erythrocyte GPx, serum PON1, serum ARE, serum MDA, and ApoB MDA were measured using methods described previously. Paired- sample t test was used for comparing the changes from week 0 to week 4 of parameters that might be associated with fluvastatin treatment. Results. The present study has shown that erythrocyte SOD and GPx, and serum PON1 and ARE activities increased at the fourth week of the statin treatment. Furthermore an increase in the antioxidant enzymes following fluvastatin may be a clue for the antioxidant effects of this drug. Four weeks of fluvastatin long-acting tablets 80 mg/day led to a decrease in plasma Apo-MDA and MDA levels. Conclusion. The findings of the present study demonstrate that fluvastatin 80 mg long- acting tablets may be used safely for 4 weeks and decrease atherogenic lipoproteins in KTPs. Furthermore, after 4 weeks of fluvastatin treatment, the levels of antioxidant parameters increased and oxidative parameters decreased. Further placebo-controlled treatment studies would be helpful to evaluate the effects of fluvastatin on oxidant and antioxidant parameters including PON1 in patients with KT. C ARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) is one of the prevalent causes of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), including kidney transplant patients (KTPs) [1]. CVD accounts for 50% of deaths in KTPs. Increased mortality rates, compared to healthy population, in CKD patients and KTPs could not be fully explained with conventional cardiovascular risk factors [2]. Nonconven- tional cardiovascular risk factors, some of which have been a consequence of uremia, have been blamed for accelerated atherosclerosis and CVD in CKD [2]. Among nonconven- tional risk factors, oxidative stress has been suggested to have a pivotal role in development of CVD in KTPs [3]. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic molecules that are able to react with many macromolecules, including nucleic acids lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids located on the cell membrane, and consequently cause cell death [4]. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is an end product of lipid peroxidation and has been widely used as a marker of oxidative lipid injury [5]. *Address correspondence to Dr. Abdülmecit Yildiz, MD, Department of Nephrology, Uludag University Medical School, Görükle, Bursa 16059, Turkey. E-mail: mecityildiz@gmail.com 0041-1345/15 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.10.027 ª 2015 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710 2870 Transplantation Proceedings, 47, 2870e2874 (2015)