Coenzyme Q10 Improves Endothelial Dysfunction in Statin-Treated Type 2 Diabetic Patients

  1. Sandra J. Hamilton, PGDIPHEALSC,
  2. Gerard T. Chew, MD and
  3. Gerald F. Watts, DSC
  1. School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
  1. Corresponding author: Gerald F. Watts, gerald.watts{at}uwa.edu.au

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 double-blind 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 to oral CoQ10 (200 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. We measured brachial artery FMD and nitrate-mediated dilatation (NMD) by ultrasonography. Plasma F2-isoprostane and 24-h 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.

Footnotes

  • The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

    • Received September 22, 2008.
    • Accepted February 6, 2009.

  • Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ for details.

« Previous | Next Article »Table of Contents

This Article

  1. Published online before print February 19, 2009, doi: 10.2337/dc08-1736 Diabetes Care May 2009 vol. 32 no. 5 810-812
  1. Free via Creative Commons: CC
  2. » Abstract
  3. Full Text
  4. Full Text (PDF)
  5. Online-Only Appendix
  6. All Versions of this Article:
    1. dc08-1736v1
    2. 32/5/810 most recent

Current Issue

  1. November 2009, 32 (11)
  1. Current Issue
  1. Alert me to new issues of Diabetes Care