Factorial study of the effects of atorvastatin and fish oil on dyslipidaemia in visceral obesity.
BACKGROUND
Dyslipidaemia may account for increased risk of cardiovascular disease in central obesity. Pharmacotherapy is often indicated in these patients, but the optimal approach remains unclear. We investigated the effects of atorvastatin and fish oil on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels, including remnant-like particle-cholesterol and apolipoprotein C-III, in dyslipidaemic men with visceral obesity.


METHODS
We carried out a 6-week randomized, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial intervention study of atorvastatin (40 mg day(-1)) and fish oil (4 g day(-1)) on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in 52 obese men (age 53 +/- 1 years, BMI 33.7 +/- 0.55 kg m(-2)) with dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance. Treatment effects were analysed by general linear modelling.


RESULTS
Atorvastatin had significant main effects in decreasing triglycerides (-0.38 +/- 0.02 mmol L(-1), P = 0.002), total cholesterol (-1.89 +/- 0.17 mmol L(-1), P = 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (-1.78 +/- 0.14 mmol L(-1), P = 0.001), remnant-like particle-cholesterol (-0.08 +/- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.035), apolipoprotein B (-49 +/- 4 mg dL(-1), P = 0.001), apolipoprotein C-III (-12.6 +/- 6.1 mg L(-1), P = 0.044) and in increasing HDL-cholesterol (+0.10 +/0- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.007). Fish oil had significant main effects in decreasing triglycerides (-0.38 +/- 0.11 mmol L(-1), P = 0.002) and in increasing HDL-cholesterol (+0.07 +/- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.041). There were no significant changes in weight or insulin resistance during the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Atorvastatin and fish oil have independent and additive effects in correcting dyslipidaemia in viscerally obese men. Improvement in abnormalities in remnant lipoproteins may occur only with use of atorvastatin. Combination treatment with statin and fish oil may, however, offer an optimal therapeutic approach for globally correcting dyslipidaemia in obesity.
Chan
D C
DC
Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
Watts
G F
GF
Mori
T A
TA
Barrett
P H R
PH
Beilin
L J
LJ
Redgrave
T G
TG
D000069059:Atorvastatin; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015444:Exercise; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D010919:Placebos; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
D005395:Fish Oils; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010919:Placebos; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin