Effect of fenofibrate on serum inflammatory markers in patients with high triglyceride values.
BACKGROUND
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Although the mechanisms that underlie this process are not well defined, it has been proposed that atherosclerosis is mainly an inflammatory disease. In this context, a number of inflammatory markers have been studied for their ability to predict future cardiovascular events in asymptomatic individuals or patients with established atherosclerotic disease.


RESULTS
The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of micronized fenofibrate on serum inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and plasma platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) in patients with high triglyceride values. An analysis of baseline values revealed that hypertriglyceridemic patients (n = 58) exhibit an atherogenic phenotype, characterized not only by elevated lipid values but also by high concentrations of serum inflammatory markers. Along with the improvement in serum lipid profile (reduction in triglycerides and total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, with a concomitant increase in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels), fenofibrate administration significantly reduced the values of serum inflammatory markers by 34%, 9.5%, and 24.8% for C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and plasma PAF-AH, respectively. However, with the exception of PAF-AH, these reductions in inflammatory markers were not correlated with the changes in lipid values.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to its well-known hypolipidemic effects, fenofibrate may also possess significant anti-inflammatory properties that can contribute its antiatherogenic effect.
Tsimihodimos
Vasilis
V
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
Kostoula
Angeliki
A
Kakafika
Anna
A
Bairaktari
Eleni
E
Tselepis
Alexandros D
AD
Mikhailidis
Dimitri P
DP
Elisaf
Moses
M
D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D011345:Fenofibrate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D015415:Biomarkers; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase; D011345:Fenofibrate