Serum lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and very low density lipoprotein subfractions during 6-month fibrate treatment in primary hypertriglyceridaemia.
Serum lipoproteins and apolipoproteins were studied in 14 hypertriglyceridaemic (HTG) patients during a 24-week period of treatment with gemfibrozil, and after a 6-week washout period. A marked decrease in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and triglyceride was observed. There was an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, particularly the HDL3 component. A slight increase in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was observed after 12 weeks, but this had almost disappeared after 24 weeks. The treatment resulted in an increase in serum apolipoprotein A-II levels and a reduction in serum apo C-III and apo E. VLDL subfractionation by density gradient centrifugation in four subfractions of decreasing size (A, B, C and D) showed a predominant reduction of the large subfractions A, B and C, while the decrease in VLDL-D was less marked. Percentage changes from the baseline level of VLDL-A and VLDL-D cholesterol were found to be inversely correlated with percentage changes in HDL and LDL cholesterol, respectively. This might reflect a transfer of cholesterol from VLDL-A to HDL, and from VLDL-D to LDL. The above data suggest fibrate-induced stimulation of lipoprotein lipase, and indicate that the enhanced transfer of cholesterol from VLDL to LDL, induced by fibrates in HTG patients, is less pronounced after a prolonged period of treatment.
Pauciullo
P
P
Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, 2nd Medical School, University of Naples, Italy.
Marotta
G
G
Rubba
P
P
Cortese
C
C
Caruso
M G
MG
Gnasso
A
A
Fischetti
A
A
Motti
C
C
Mancini
M
M
D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D015248:Gemfibrozil