title: [Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia. Two years follow-up after treatment with high doses of atorvastatin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) is a genetic model of atherogenic dyslipidemia with insulin resistance and early coronary disease. Our objective was to evaluate the presence of carotid alterations as a marker of systemic atherosclerosis in subjects with FCH and assess the effect of 80 mg of atorvastatin per day in carotid plaque thickness after 2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 non diabetic subjects with FCH in primary prevention were consecutively included. Clinical and biochemical parameters and carotid ultrasonography were performed. Subjects with carotid plaque started treatment with 80 mg of atorvastatin per day for 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  29% of subjects had carotid plaques. We did not find significant differences in any of the parameters between subjects with presence or absence of carotid plaques. Twenty subjects with carotid plaques accepted/agreed to participate in the interventional study. Two years follow-up showed a significant reduction in LDLc (30%) and carotid plaque thickness (10%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotid ultrasonography is useful to detect subclinical atherosclerosis in high risk cardiovascular patients such as subjects with FCH. Treatment with high doses of atorvastatin induces the regression of carotid plaque thickness after 2 years follow-up. Our results suggest that intensive treatment with atorvastatin could be useful to reduce the development of cardiovascular disease in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, España. Sergio.Martinez@uv.es
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez-Hervás
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priego
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: M Inmaculada
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Navarro-Hidalgo
authors.forename: José T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Real
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ascaso
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006950:Hyperlipidemia, Familial Combined / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin