Pharmacodynamic effects of atorvastatin versus rosuvastatin in coronary artery disease patients with normal platelet reactivity while on dual antiplatelet therapy - The PEARL randomized cross-over study

High platelet reactivity during co-administration of clopidogrel and a CYP3A4-metabolized statin (i.e. atorvastatin) can be lowered by switching to a non-CYP3A4-metabolized statin (i.e rosuvastatin). Aim of this study was to verify if atorvastatin and rosuvastatin have different pharmacodynamic effects also when platelet reactivity while on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is normal at baseline. A total of 122 stable coronary artery disease patients receiving DAPT (clopidogrel 75 mg plus aspirin 100 mg) who had evidence of normal platelet reactivity after a 1-week statin wash-out entered the trial. Patients were randomly assigned to atorvastatin (40 mg day, n=61) or rosuvastatin (20 mg day, n=61) for 30 days.