BACKGROUND: OBJECTIVE: METHODS: Patients with nonfamilial type 2 hyperlipoproteinemia were eligible for this open-label, dose-increasing study. Fluvastatin 20 mg/d was administered for the first 12 weeks, and the daily dose was increased to 40 mg for the subsequent 12 weeks. Patients were examined at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Plasma lipoprotein subfractions were determined using sequential ultracentrifugation at 100,000g. The plasma levels of Ox-LDL, Ox-LDL- IgG, CETP, and soluble adhesion molecules were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The maximum IMT of the common carotid arteries was measured using sonography. RESULTS: The plasma levels of LDL cholesterol ( LDL-C) and apolipoprotein ( apo) B were reduced by 25% and 17%, respectively (P<0.001 for both), after 12 weeks of treatment with fluvastatin 20 mg/d; no further significant reductions in LDL were observed after increasing the daily dose to 40 mg. Fluvastatin 20 mg/d for 12 weeks decreased plasma levels of intermediate-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-I-C, LDL-II-C, and LDL-III-C by 25% (P<0.01), 30% (P<0.001), 23% (P<0.01), and 20% (P = 0.02), respectively. No further significant reductions in these levels were observed after increasing the daily dose to 40 mg. The plasma levels of Ox-LDL decreased in a similar fashion to the plasma levels of LDL-C (P<0.001). However, plasma levels of Ox-LDL- IgG and soluble P-selectin did not decrease after 12 weeks of fluvastatin 20 mg/d, but did decrease significantly (both 22%) after the next 12 weeks of treatment with fluvastatin 40 mg/d (P<0.05). Plasma levels of intercellular adhesion molecule 1and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and CETP mass were not altered by fluvastatin treatment. Significant changes in maximum IMT of the common carotid arteries were not seen throughout 24 weeks of fluvastatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS:
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