Efficacy of ezetimibe is associated with gender and baseline lipid levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
The combination of ezetimibe and a statin provides greater LDL-C reduction by inhibiting both intestinal cholesterol absorption and endogenous production of cholesterol. The present study was designed to examine the influence of ageing, gender, BMI, levels of LDL-C, and HbA1c on the response to ezetimibe add-on therapy.


METHODS
Patients who had been taking a statin for >3 months at the usual dose and whose LDL-C was >120 mg/dL were eligible for this study. Patients were assigned to receive add-on ezetimibe at 10 mg once daily for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
Adding ezetimibe to basal statin therapy resulted in a further 15.0% reduction of TC, 20.5% reduction of LDL-C, and 19.7% reduction of non-HDL-C. The change in TC was significantly greater in males than in females. The change in TG was significantly greater in patients with a baseline TG level ≥150 mg/dL. Multivariate regression analysis showed that male sex and LDL-C ≥140 mg/dL were independent predictors of TC reduction after adjustment for age, BMI, and HbA1c. A baseline TG ≥150 mg/dL was also an independent predictor of TG reduction.


CONCLUSIONS
Addition of ezetimibe to ongoing statin therapy was effective in patients with type 2 diabetes. Male sex and baseline LDL-C levels are independent predictors of marked TC reduction by ezetimibe treatment.
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan.
Erina
E
Shigematsu
Tadashi
T
Yamakawa
Masataka
M
Taguri
Satoshi
S
Morita
Mikiya
M
Tokui
Kazunori
K
Miyamoto
Osamu
O
Funae
Yoji
Y
Takatuka
Kazuaki
K
Kadonosono
Hiroshi
H
Shigematsu
Yasuo
Y
Terauchi
D000368:Aged; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D008055:Lipids; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
D001384:Azetidines; D002784:Cholesterol; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human