Objective. To describe the clinical course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients taking atorvastatin.

Materials and methods. 92 patients with COPD and dyslipidemia were included at the study and divided into two groups randomly. Group 1 (n=42) received atorvastatin 20 mg per day in addition to the standard COPD therapy, group 2 (n=50) received only standard COPD treatment. The patients had been follow for 24 weeks. We evaluated the patient’s complaints, the severity of COPD symptoms according to the CAT test, the mMRC dyspnea scale, the physical data, the short-acting b2-agonists use, the number of COPD exacerbations and hospitalizations.

Results. The atorvastatin intake in Group 1 was associated with decreasing severity of dyspnea by the mMRC scale from 2.0 [1.0; 3.0] points initially up to 1.0 [1.0; 2.0] points (p=0.017), decreasing need of short-acting b2-agonists inhalation from 2.0 [0.0; 3.0]/day to 0.5 [0.0; 2.0]/day (p <0.001) after 24 weeks compared to the initial values; Group 2 showed no dynamics. The patients taking atorvastatin had a lower incidence of COPD exacerbations (18 exacerbations in Group 1 versus 35 exacerbations in Group 2; p=0.008) and of hospitalizations for COPD (10 hospitalizations versus 28 hospitalizations, respectively; p=0.001).

Conclusion. In patients with COPD and dyslipidemia atorvastatin 20 mg per day for 24 weeks as part of therapy was associated with positive dynamics of the disease clinical manifestations and decreased frequency of COPD exacerbations and hospitalizations.