title: [Effects of simvastatin on blood levels of lipoprotein (a)].
abstract: The efficacy of Simvastatin to reduce plasma cholesterol is well documented. Other molecule within the lipo-lipoprotein family, such as, particularly, lipoprotein (a) -Lp(a)-, have been recently found to have a predictive and/or causative role in atherosclerosis. Based on the above consideration, we studied 20 patients (7 females and 13 males), mean age 52.4 +/- 14.2 years, affected by primary hypercholesterolemia to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on Lp(a), in addition to the classic lipidic parameters. Five weeks after suspension of lipid-lowering drugs and on a normal caloric-fat diet, were given 20 mg simvastatin/day for 12 months. Clinical and laboratory parameters, cholesterol (CH), triglycerides (TG), high density and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH and LDH-CH) measured enzymatically, apoproteins A1, B measured radial immunodiffusion technique and Lp(a) measured as apoprotein(a) with immunoradiometric assay and were evaluated before therapy and after 12 months of therapy. Simvastatin determined a significant reduction in total cholesterol and cholesterol-LDL (CH 327.7 +/- 44.4 vs 255.5 +/- 37.3, p < 0.0001; LDL-CH 257.1 +/- 60.9 vs 183.8 +/- 46.9, p < 0.0001) and a significant increase in HDL-CH (36.7 +/- 5.9 vs 40.2 +/- 5.7, p < 0.005); no variation was observed in triglycerides (TG) levels. Simvastatin therapy further determined a significant increase in Lp(a) plasma levels (43.8 +/- 25.6 vs 50.5 +/- 28.0, p < 0.02). The our data, in agreement with those documenting the beneficial effect of Simvastatin in greatly decreasing CH and LDL-CH, but point out the need for further studies concerning the long-ter effect of simvastatin on Lp(a), in order to fully establish its role in the secondary prevention of atherosclerosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001059:Apoproteins / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D019821:Simvastatin; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001059:Apoproteins; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin
vernacular_title: Effetti della simvastatina sui livelli plasmatici della lipoproteina (a).