Rosuvastatin improves the atherogenic and atheroprotective lipid profiles in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.
BACKGROUND
We examined the effects of rosuvastatin treatment on triglyceride levels and lipid measures in a parallel-group multicenter trial (4522IL/0035) in patients with hypertriglyceridemia (Fredrickson Type IIb or IV).


METHODS
After a 6-week dietary lead-in period while on a National Cholesterol Education Program step I diet, 156 patients with fasting triglyceride levels >/= 300 and < 800 mg/dl were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blinded treatment: once-daily rosuvastatin of 5, 10, 20, 40 or 80 mg or placebo. The primary end point was mean percentage change from baseline in total serum triglyceride levels at week 6 as determined by analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Rosuvastatin at all doses produced significant mean reductions in triglycerides compared with placebo (-18 to -40 compared with +2.9%, P </= 0.001); median reductions in triglycerides with rosuvastatin at 5-80 mg ranged from -21 to -46%. All doses of rosuvastatin significantly reduced levels of atherogenic lipoprotein and apolipoproteins over placebo, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein C-III. Statistically significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed with rosuvastatin doses > 5 mg. The occurrence of adverse events was generally low and not dose related, although some adverse events occurred more frequently in the rosuvastatin 80 mg group.


CONCLUSIONS
Rosuvastatin reduced triglyceride levels and improved the overall atherogenic and atheroprotective lipid profiles in hypertriglyceridemic patients.
Hunninghake
Donald B
DB
Heart Disease Prevention Clinic, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. hunni001@email.umn.edu
Stein
Evan A
EA
Bays
Harold E
HE
Rader
Daniel J
DJ
Chitra
Rohini R
RR
Simonson
Steven G
SG
Schneck
Dennis W
DW
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008074:Lipoproteins; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium