Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on platelet aggregation and activation in the acute phase following
balloon-induced carotid artery injury in rabbits fed cholesterol-enriched diet. Methods Thirty rabbits were randomly divided
into 5 equal groups, namely control group, high-cholesterol group, model group, low-dose (5 mg/kg daily) atorvastatin group,
and high-dose (10 mg/kg daily) atorvastatin group. Platelet aggregation rate was measured in the rabbits by turbidimetric
platelet aggregometry, and the changes of serum P-selectin and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels were detected with
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Compared with those in the control group, serum P-selectin level
increased significantly (P<0.01) but platelet aggregation rate and TXB2 level exhibited no obvious changes in high-cholesterol
group. After carotid artery balloon injury, P-selectin and TXB2 levels and platelet aggregation significantly increased in
cholesterol-fed rabbits, reaching the peak level at 24 h after the injury (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, low-dose
atorvastatin treatment significantly decreased P-selectin and TXB2 levels and inhibited platelet aggregation in cholesterol-fed
rabbits following carotid artery balloon injury (P<0.01), and such effects of atorvastatin were more prominent at a higher daily
dose of 10 mg/kg (P<0.05). Conclusions Carotid artery balloon injury in rabbits fed cholesterol-enriched diet can induce
platelet activation and aggregation, which reaches the peak level at 24 h after balloon injury and can be dose-dependently
inhibited by atorvastatin in the acute phase following the injury.