title: Effect of Pitavastatin Treatment on ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: Substudy of PROspective Comparative Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of PITavastatin in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apolipoprotein (Apo) B-48 is an intestinally derived lipoprotein that is expected to be a marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂) is a vascular-specific inflammatory marker and important risk predictor of CVD. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of pitavastatin treatment and life style modification (LSM) on ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ levels in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients at relatively low risk for CVD, as a sub-analysis of a previous multi-center prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 75 patients with MS from the PROPIT study and randomized them into two treatment groups: 2 mg pitavastatin daily+intensive LSM or intensive LSM only. We measured the change of lipid profiles, ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ for 48 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and ApoB-100/A1 ratio were significantly improved in the pitavastatin+LSM group compared to the LSM only group (P≤0.001). Pitavastatin+LSM did not change the level of ApoB-48 in subjects overall, but the level of ApoB-48 was significantly lower in the higher mean baseline value group of ApoB-48. The change in Lp-PLA₂ was not significant after intervention in either group after treatment with pitavastatin for 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pitavastatin treatment and LSM significantly improved lipid profiles, ApoB-100/A1 ratio, and reduced ApoB-48 levels in the higher mean baseline value group of ApoB-48, but did not significantly alter the Lp-PLA₂ levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Rae
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Hak Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. cydoctor@chol.com.
authors.forename: Cheol Young
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9415-9965
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Apolipoprotein B-48; Lp-PLA₂; Metabolic syndrome; Pitavastatin