EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF VARYING DOSES OF ATORVASTATIN ON DELAYING VASCULAR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT PROGRESSION IN ATHLETES: A CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effects of different doses of atorvastatin on delaying the progression of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) in athletes, focusing on cognitive functions crucial for both sports performance and daily activities. Methods: This clinical study involved a sample of athletes diagnosed with VCI, recruited from a hospital between 2022 and 2023. Participants were randomly assigned into four groups, receiving low (10 mg), medium (20 mg), and high (40 mg) doses of oral atorvastatin, or a control treatment. The study duration was three months, assessing the impact on cognitive functions using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Statistical analyses included ANOVA with post-hoc tests (SNK and LSD rules) to compare the efficacy among different dosages. Results: After three months, all atorvastatin doses showed improvement in cognitive scores compared to baseline, with no significant difference between the low and medium dose groups, or between the low and high dose groups. However, the high dose group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance compared to the control group. The MoCA and MMSE scores were notably better in the high dose group, with a mean score difference of 3.826 (P<0.05) for MoCA and 4.736 (P<0.05) for MMSE. Conclusion: Atorvastatin, across varying doses, has clinical efficacy in improving cognitive function and delaying the progression of VCI in athletes. The high dose of atorvastatin, in particular, offers significant benefits without the need for extreme lipid-lowering, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for managing cognitive health in athletes. This study supports the broader application of atorvastatin in not only treating but also potentially preventing VCI, enhancing overall cognitive resilience in the athletic population.