In humans, two small studies evaluating the use of statins in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and several other autoimmune diseases found that short-term use of statins was associated with significant decreases in disease activity and biochemical markers of inflammation (12,13). A subsequent randomized, double-blinded study evaluating the role of atorvastatin in 116 patients with rheumatoid arthritis found significant reductions in the number of swollen joints and levels of several markers of inflammation, including ESR and CRP, after 6 months of therapy compared with placebo (14). This animal and human data confirm HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors play a role in modulating inflammatory pathways, and suggest statins may have significant therapeutic potential in a range of chronic inflammatory diseases.