Effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin on nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a retrospective analysis

Early and intensive atorvastatin treatment can decrease nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The objective of this study was to compare the effects of hydrophilic rosuvastatin and lipophilic atorvastatin on nsVT in STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The data from a cohort of patients undergoing primary PCI at Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital from January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016 were analyzed. The patients were divided into the rosuvastatin group and the atorvastatin group based on which kind of statins that they had received. The endpoint of the study was the occurrence of nsVT on either electrocardiogram monitoring or Holter monitoring. A total of 301 patients were enrolled in the study (rosuvastatin group: n = 103; atorvastatin group: n = 198). The baseline and procedural characteristics were similar between the two groups, except that total ischemic time in the rosuvastatin group was markedly longer than that in the atorvastatin group (8 (5-16) h vs. 6 (4-12) h; P = 0.001). The administration of rosuvastatin was significantly associated with lower occurrence of nsVT than that of atorvastatin (9.71 vs. 19.70%; P = 0.026). Multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested that the independent predictors of nsVT included rosuvastatin (odds ratio (OR) 0.397, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.176-0.894), current smoking (OR 2.307, 95% CI 1.011-5.262), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR 1.060, 95% CI 1.023-1.098). The effects of rosuvastatin on nsVT might be better than that of atorvastatin in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.