[Effect on plasma fibrinogen of hypercholesterolaemia treatment with pravastatin].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether hypercholesterolaemia treatment with pravastatin causes modifications in plasma fibrinogen.


METHODS
Descriptive, prospective pharmacological intervention study, with two transversal cuts, one at the start and one after 6 months pravastatin treatment.


METHODS
Health area located in the suburbs of Valencia.


METHODS
Hypercholesterolaemia cases diagnosed de novo and treated with pravastatin for 6 months. Sample size was calculated for paired data with an alpha error of 0.05 and a beta error of 20%. The fibrinogen difference thought relevant was set at 40 mg/dl. Variability was deduced from a mini-sample of 15 cases, obtaining a total of 57 patients. Sex, age, height, weight, BMI, count, formula, globular sedimentation rate (GSR), glucaemia, total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were recorded.


RESULTS
Mean age was 55.9, height 161.9 cm and initial weight 73.9 kg (mean BMI 28.1 kg/m(2)). After six months pravastatin treatment (10/20 mg/day) we found no significant differences in glucaemia, GSR or leukocytes. There were differences in weight, that fell by 1.5 kg (0.6 kg/m(2)), systolic pressure (4.3 mmHg) and diastolic pressure (2.7 mmHg) on average. We found the following differences for lipids: 42.3 mg/dl (15.2%) drop in mean total cholesterol, 27 mg/dl (14.5%) in LDL cholesterol, and 36.2 mg/dl (21.9%) in triglycerides. We found a mean increase in HDL cholesterol of 4.4 mg/dl. There was a mean drop of 43.7 mg/dl (11.9%) in fibrinogen.


CONCLUSIONS
We found an 11.9% drop of plasma fibrinogen in patients with hypercholesterolaemia treated with pravastatin.
Murciano Revert
J
J
Centro de Atención Primaria Pintor Stolz, Valencia. cspstolzmg@meditex.es
Martínez-Lahuerta
J J
JJ
Aleixandre Porcar
L
L
Debón Belda
M
M
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000187:drug effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D005340:Fibrinogen; D017035:Pravastatin