title: The effect of cholesterol lowering on carotid and femoral artery wall stiffness and thickness in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early in the process of atherosclerosis, changes in vessel wall stiffness and thickness may occur. The present study evaluates the effect of cholesterol reduction on artery wall stiffness and intima media thickness in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (mean age 46+/-10 years) with untreated LDL cholesterol concentration > 9 mmol L(-1), were studied before and after one year of cholesterol lowering therapy with statins (simvastatin, atorvastatin 40-80 mg day(-1). The distensibility (DC in 10-3 kPa(-1) and compliance (CC in mm2. kPa(-1) of the common carotid artery (CCA) (right and left side) and common femoral artery (CFA) (right side) were determined by a wall track system (Pie Medical). The intima media thickness (IMT) (both right and left) of the CCA, bulb (BUL), internal carotid artery (ICA) and CFA were measured in mm by high-resolution ultrasound (Biosound).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean concentration of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were reduced significantly by 43%, 51% and 25%, respectively, whereas HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) increased by 13% (P<0.001). In the CFA, the DC and CC increased significantly (DC from 7.9+/-3.0 to 9.1+/-3.7 in 10(-3) kPa(-1); CC 0.5+/-0.2-0.6+/-0.3 in mm2. kPa(-1), whereas the DC and CC did not change in the CCA. In contrast, the IMT of the CCA decreased significantly in both men and women whereas an IMT decrease was also seen in the BUL and ICA in premenopausal women. A LDL-cholesterol reduction of 44.8% and 45.4% was necessary to induce significant decreases in IMT and increases in DC and CC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One year of cholesterol lowering therapy in FH decreases the wall stiffness in the CFA and the arterial wall thickness in the CCA.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. t.smilde@aig.azn.nl
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smilde
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: van den Berkmortel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wollersheim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Langen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kastelein
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Stalenhoef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004548:Elasticity; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D014280:Triglycerides; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin