Effect of Atorvastatin Treatment on Lipoprotein Lipase Mass in the Pre-heparin Plasma in Japanese Hyperlipidemic Subjects

Background: Atorvastatin is a recently introduced statin that lowers LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides more than some of the older statins.

Methods: Twenty-one Japanese hyperlipidemic subjects were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/day) for 6 weeks. Plasma lipid concentrations and pre-heparin plasma LPL mass before and after oral administration were evaluated using an open crossover trial format. LPL mass in the pre-heparin plasma was measured by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay.

Results: Atorvastatin decreased plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration (-21%, p<0.05), as well as plasma total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations. LPL mass in the pre-heparin plasma did not change significantly by this treatment during this period. Both apolipoprotein (apo) B and E decreased considerably (-33%, p<0.001 for apo B; -29% p<0.001 for apo E), while apo A-I concentration did not change. Other clinical parameters such as body mass index, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose concentration of these subjects did not change during this treatment.

Conclusions: Atorvastatin is effective in reducing plasma TG, which did not appear to be associated with an increased LPL mass.