title: Effects of micronized fenofibrate versus atorvastatin in the treatment of dyslipidaemic patients with low plasma HDL-cholesterol levels: a 12-week randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have suggested that raising low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) may be an important target for the prevention of coronary heart disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the ability of micronized fenofibrate and atorvastatin to increase plasma HDL-C levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicentre, randomized open-label study. Settings. The study was conducted in 19 centres across the UK and Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-one patients were randomized and the full analysis set included 165 nondiabetic patients with low HDL-C (women <46 mg dL-1, i.e. 1.2 mmol L-1 and men <43 mg dL-1, i.e. 1.1 mmol L-1): 86 patients in the atorvastatin group and 79 patients in the micronized fenofibrate group. Interventions. Micronized fenofibrate (200 mg day-1, 87 patients) or atorvastatin (10 mg day-1, 94 patients) for a period of 12 weeks. Main outcome measures. Percent change in HDL-C levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 weeks of treatment, the mean percent change from baseline in HDL-C was significantly higher in the micronized fenofibrate group (13.3%) compared with the atorvastatin group (5.3%, P=0.0003). The magnitude of such relative change was inversely related to the baseline HDL-C levels only in the micronized fenofibrate group. Furthermore, in the fenofibrate treatment group, 50.9% of the patients (29 of 57 patients) with a baseline HDL-C <40 mg dL-1 achieved a plasma HDL-C level above 40 mg dL-1 after 12 weeks of treatment versus 27.9% of the patients (19 of 68 patients) in the atorvastatin group (P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of (1) the greater impact of fenofibrate than atorvastatin on HDL-C levels and (2) the greater proportion of dyslipidemic patients achieving HDL-C levels above 40 mg dL-1 with fenofibrate than atorvastatin, it is suggested that micronized fenofibrate should be considered as a good therapeutic option to treat dyslipidemic patients with low HDL-C and moderately elevated LDL-C concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Reseach Center, CHUL Research Center, Canada. jean-pierre.depres@crhl.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Després
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delaval
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D011345:Fenofibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D011345:Fenofibrate