Persistently increased HDL-cholesterolemia and reduced triglyceridemia in a large lipid clinic population treated with fenofibrate for 15 years or longer.
BACKGROUND
Fenofibrate, in the recent FIELD study in diabetics, induced a modest reduction of cardiovascular events, but unexpectedly there was an apparent loss of activity over time, thus, e.g., achieving only a 1.2% increase of HDL-cholesterolemia at study end.


METHODS
Plasma lipid and lipoprotein changes were investigated in a large series of patients followed at 5-year intervals up to 15 years or longer at the Lipid Clinic of the University of Milano.


RESULTS
The HDL-cholesterol raising properties (mean of +24.6% at 15 years) are well maintained over many years of treatment and tend to increase over time, particularly in diabetics. Fenofibrate also significantly reduced triglyceridemia and also LDL-cholesterolemia (-54.9 and -28.5%, respectively). There was a very low incidence of cardiovascular events.


CONCLUSIONS
Long term fenofibrate treatment is associated with well maintained biochemical effects. The inadequate activity of fenofibrate over the 5 years of the FIELD study might be due to bioavailability problems previously noted with some slow release formulations.
Mombelli
Giuliana
G
Banfi
Francesca
F
Falcioni
Serena
S
Sirtori
Cesare R
CR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D011345:Fenofibrate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D011345:Fenofibrate