Effectiveness of nicotinic acid and bezafibrate alone and in combination for reducing serum triglyceride level.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the effectiveness of nicotinic acid and Bezafibrate alone and in combination for reducing triglyceride level. DESIGN: It was a randomised, prospective, longitudinal study. SETTING: Patients attending a private clinic, and medical department of Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal. METHODS: This study included 83 consecutive patients, 19 females and 64 males with hypertriglyceridaemia (defined as serum triglyceride >200mg/dl) attending the department of medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal and private clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Statistically significant reduction of serum triglyceride level. RESULT: 51 out of 83 patients completed the study in which Nicotinic acid alone reduced the serum trygleceride level from 320.62 +/- 104.23 to 182.55 +/- 46.21, which is a reduction of 138.07 +/- 85.69 (P. value = 001). Bezafibrate when given alone also reduced triglyceride level significantly from 345.25 +/- 181.03 to 203.30+/-93.59 which is a reduction of 141.95 +/- 121.130 (P value= .001). When a combination of both drugs was given the reduction of 472.73+/-247.53 (P value =.002) was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Nicotinic acid is a very effective drug in reducing serum triglyceride level and its effectiveness is similar to Bezafibrate. There is no added benefit of giving a combination of nicotinic acid and Bezafibrate in reducing serum triglyceride level.