title: Four years' treatment efficacy of patients with severe hyperlipidemia. Lipid lowering drugs versus LDL-apheresis.
abstract: A total of 47 patients suffering from heterozygous hyperlipidemia were treated with LDL-apheresis (24 patients, aged 49.5 +/- 11.5 years), diet and/or lipid-lowering drugs or with diet and lipid-lowering drugs only (23 patients, aged 48.0 +/- 11.9 years). After treatment periods of 44.4 +/- 14.3 (apheresis group) and 33.5 +/- 15.9 (drug group) months, respectively, the ensuing results revealed significant differences (p < 0.0001): total cholesterol decreased from 10.4 to 5.5 vs 9.9 to 8.7 mmol/l, LDL from 7.4 to 3.9 vs 6.6 to 5.2 mmol/l, triglycerides from 5.8 to 3.7 vs 4.8 to 4.1 mmol/l and the LDL/HDL-ratio decreased from 7.1 to 3.4 vs 6.7 to 5.8. In the apheresis group one patient died from myocardial infarction vs one non-fatal myocardial infarction and the manifestation of coronary heart disease in three cases in the drug group. There were no severe side-effects in either group. All patients in the apheresis group experienced an increased clinical performance. On the other hand physological well-being of these patients was lower than that of the drug group (scores 42.3 +/- 8.9 vs 50.2 +/- 9.9, p < 0.002). The present trial suggests that a continuing reduction in serum lipid concentrations may lower in a dose dependent manner the risk of development and progression of coronary heart disease. With respect to clinical and laboratory results, LDL-apheresis seems safe and appears to be the most effective therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Jena Medical School, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bambauer
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002994:Clofibrate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003084:Colestipol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D011345:Fenofibrate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009525:Niacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D009525:Niacin; D008148:Lovastatin; D002994:Clofibrate; D003084:Colestipol; D017035:Pravastatin; D015248:Gemfibrozil; D011345:Fenofibrate