Effects of colesevelam hydrochloride (WelChol) on biomarkers of inflammation in patients with mild hypercholesterolemia.

Abstract

Inflammation is pivotal in atherogenesis. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), the prototypic marker of inflammation, has been shown to predict cardiovascular events. Colesevelam hydrochloride (HCl) (WelChol, Sankyo Pharma Incorporated, Parsippany, New Jersey), a specifically engineered bile acid sequestrant, has been shown to be effective in lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in monotherapy and in combination with statins or fenofibrate. Previously, we have shown that statins lower hs-CRP levels; however, a paucity of data is available examining the effect of colesevelam HCl on hs-CRP levels. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of colesevelam HCl therapy (3.75 g/day for 6 weeks) on hs-CRP in patients with mild hypercholesterolemia in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Twenty-five subjects on colesevelam HCl and 23 subjects on placebo completed the study. The median baseline hs-CRP levels for the treatment and placebo groups are 3.4 and 3.1 mg/L, respectively. Colesevelam HCl therapy resulted in a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol levels (p < 0.001). No significant changes were found in total triglyceride or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels between the 2 groups. Furthermore, colesevelam HCl therapy resulted in a significant reduction in hs-CRP levels compared with baseline and placebo (15.9% and 18.7% median reduction, respectively, p < 0.025). No correlation was found between LDL cholesterol lowering and hs-CRP lowering (r = 0.3). In conclusion, our results show that colesevelam HCl monotherapy significantly lowered hs-CRP levels in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

• Authors: Sridevi Devaraj, Bryce Autret, Ishwarlal Jialal
• Journal: The American journal of cardiology (Am J Cardiol) Vol. 98 Issue 5 Pg. 641-3 (Sep 01 2006) ISSN: 0002-9149 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16923452 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Cholesterol, LDL
• Allylamine
• C-Reactive Protein
• Colesevelam Hydrochloride

Topics

• Adult
• Allylamine (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• C-Reactive Protein (metabolism)
• Cholesterol, LDL (blood, drug effects)
• Colesevelam Hydrochloride
• Double-Blind Method
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Hypercholesterolemia (blood, drug therapy)
• Inflammation (blood)
• Treatment Outcome