A multicenter, eight-week treatment, single-step titration, open-label study assessing the percentage of Korean dyslipidemic patients achieving LDL cholesterol target with atorvastatin starting doses of 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of algorithm-based atorvastatin therapy initiated at different starting doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg in Korean dyslipidemic patients.


METHODS
Five hundred seventy-four patients were screened, and 425 were enrolled (low risk, n = 29; intermediate risk, n = 45; high risk, n = 351). The starting dose depended on a patient's cardiovascular risk and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.


RESULTS
Of the patients, 253 (59.5%), 63 (14.8%) and 109 (25.6%) patients were assigned at baseline to 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg atorvastatin, respectively. 390 patients (91.8%) completed the study, and 35 discontinued prematurely. No patient in the low or intermediate risk groups was titrated to 80 mg at Week 4, whereas, 26 in the high risk group were. 81.9% of patients achieved their LDL-C target at Week 4, which was sustained through to Week 8 (86.0%). 89.1% of patients who were not titrated achieved their LDL-C target at Week 8, and 82.1% of patients who were titrated 1 step up achieved their LDL-C target at Week 8. Overall, about 40% reduction in LDL-C, non-HDL-C levels, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was observed during the follow-up. Triglyceride was reduced by approximately 10% by Week 8. HDL cholesterol was slightly increased over 8 weeks (2.6%). Atorvastatin was well tolerated at all dose levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient-tailored statin therapy according to an individual's risk category and LDL-C levels was safe and effective with a quick achievement of LDL-C target in Korean dyslipidemic patients.
Lee
Cheol Whan
CW
Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
Baek
Sang-Hong
SH
Hong
Taek-Jong
TJ
Choi
Young-Jin
YJ
Kim
Young-Jo
YJ
Ahn
Tae-Hoon
TH
Ihm
Sang-Hyun
SH
Bae
Jang-Ho
JH
Hong
Soon-Jun
SJ
Kim
Doo-Il
DI
Ahn
Young-Keun
YK
Hur
Seung-Ho
SH
Park
Dae-Gyun
DG
Choi
Dong-Ju
DJ
Lee
Seung-Uk
SU
Kim
Bum-Soo
BS
Ryu
Kyu-Hyung
KH
Jang
Yang-Soo
YS
Lee
Sang-Hoon
SH
Seung
Ki-Bae
KB
Kim
Hyo-Soo
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011758:Pyrroles; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin