Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose lowers cholesterol in statin-treated men and women with primary hypercholesterolemia.
OBJECTIVE
Consumption of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), a viscous dietary fiber, lowers total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, HPMC had not previously been studied in individuals receiving lipid drug therapy.


METHODS
This randomized, double-blind crossover trial examined the lipid effects of HPMC in subjects with hypercholesterolemia on statin therapy. Men (n=5) and women (n=8) with LDL-C> or =2.59 mmol/l after at least 4 weeks of stable-dose statin therapy, and a mean age of 58.6 years, were enrolled. Subjects received twice daily doses of either 2.5 g HPMC or control, delivered in a lemonade beverage for 4 weeks, then crossed over to receive the opposite treatment for an additional 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Mean baseline concentrations of TC, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride (TG), TC/HDL-C ratio and apolipoprotein (Apo) B were 4.95, 3.63, 3.03, 1.33, 1.30 and 3.89 mmol/l and 1.00 g/l, respectively. HPMC consumption resulted in significantly larger reductions (P<0.01 vs control for all) in TC (-10.9 vs -3.5%), non-HDL-C (-12.8 vs -2.9%), LDL-C (-15.7 vs -5.1%), TC/HDL-C ratio (-5.3 vs +1.3%) and Apo B (-8.7 vs -3.9%). There were no differences between treatments for changes in HDL-C (-5.2 vs -4.3%) or TG (+3.9 vs +8.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
These results support the view that HPMC is an effective adjunct to statin therapy for further lowering atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins in men and women with primary hypercholesterolemia.
Maki
K C
KC
Provident Clinical Research and Consulting Inc, Bloomington, IN, USA. KMaki@ProvidentCRC.com
Carson
M L
ML
Miller
M P
MP
Anderson
W H K
WH
Turowski
M
M
Reeves
M S
MS
Kaden
V
V
Dicklin
M R
MR
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008297:Male; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose; D002784:Cholesterol