Proportion of oxidized LDL relative to plasma apolipoprotein B does not change during statin therapy in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
OBJECTIVE
Circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been shown to be a useful marker for identifying patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and persons at high cardiovascular risk. The effect of cholesterol-lowering therapy on plasma level of oxidized LDL is not clear.


RESULTS
We investigated effects of cholesterol lowering by therapeutic intervention (2 years) with atorvastatin (80 mg daily) and simvastatin (40 mg daily) on circulating oxidized LDL (absolute level and in proportion to plasma apolipoprotein B) in relation to atherosclerosis progression (carotid intima-media thickness, carotid IMT) and to inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hsCRP) in 115 stable patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Atorvastatin and simvastatin reduced plasma-oxidized LDL (-43 and -35%, respectively) in proportion to the decrease in plasma apolipoprotein B. Neither absolute nor relative level of oxidized LDL correlated with carotid IMT or hsCRP at baseline. Also changes in levels of circulating oxidized LDL were not related to changes in carotid IMT and hsCRP.


CONCLUSIONS
In familial hypercholesterolemia-oxidized LDL carried in plasma is strongly associated with apolipoprotein B but not with inflammation nor with carotid IMT, and statin treatment does not reduce oxidized LDL relative to apolipoprotein B.
van Tits
L J H
LJ
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of General Internal Medicine 564, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. B.vantits@aig.umcn.nl
van Himbergen
T M
TM
Lemmers
H L M
HL
de Graaf
J
J
Stalenhoef
A F H
AF
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011758:Pyrroles; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin