Metabolomic Associations of Atorvastatin in Human Blood

Ahmed M. Alsehli, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaFollow

Abstract

Atorvastatin is one of the most widely prescribed lipid-lowering therapies worldwide. Although its cholesterol-lowering effects are well established, the broader systemic metabolic signatures associated with atorvastatin exposure across large human populations remain incompletely characterized. We performed a retrospective metabolomic meta-analysis of human blood samples from approximately 4,000 individuals across six cohorts to identify metabolites most positively and negatively associated with atorvastatin levels. Circulating metabolites spanning both lipid and non-lipid classes were identified as associated with blood atorvastatin levels. Atorvastatin levels were associated with a distinct blood metabolomic signature comprising coordinated changes across multiple metabolite classes. Negatively associated metabolites were dominated by phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, and sphingomyelins, consistent with remodeling of circulating lipid and lipoprotein composition. In contrast, positively associated metabolites included choline-related compounds, modified nucleosides, acylcarnitines, and other small molecules, suggesting a broader systemic metabolic adaptation extending beyond conventional lipid pathways. The results revealed a structured, non-random pattern of metabolic remodeling rather than isolated metabolite differences. These findings characterize the systemic blood metabolomic signature associated with atorvastatin use under real-world conditions and extend existing knowledge of statin-associated metabolic changes beyond conventional lipid measures. The results underscore the value of metabolomics for capturing drug-associated metabolic signatures in human populations and provide a foundation for future longitudinal and comparative studies of lipid-lowering therapies. Overall, these findings further highlight the translational potential of metabolomics for understanding interindividual variability in statin response and advancing future precision medicine approaches.

First Page

Last Page

Recommended Citation

Alsehli, Ahmed M. (2026) "Metabolomic Associations of Atorvastatin in Human Blood," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Medical Sciences: Vol. 33: Iss. 1, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64064/1658-4279.1032