ABSTRACT
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been proven effective in decreasing the plasma cholesterol levels in patients affected with various forms of hypercholesterolemia, familial dysbetalipoproteinemia, familial combined hyperlipidemia and in nephrotic and diabetic dyslipidemia. The purpose of this study was to monitor and evaluate the efficiency and safety of the therapy with simvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in a group of patients treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with severe hypercholesterolemia. Monitoring of the changes occurring in the various lipids and apolipoproteins in these patients included the measurements of the plasma lipids and apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, B, C-II, A-IV and Lp(a). Lipoproteins were separated by gel filtration, on a Superose 6HR column, before and after 24 weeks of treatment. The patterns were compared to those observed in a group of primary hyperlipidemic patients treated with Lovastatin, a compound of the same class. The drug was well tolerated by the CAPD patients and no adverse reaction was observed. In addition to the decrease of the total and LDL cholesterol, similar to that reported in other groups of patients, we further observed a decrease of the apo E concentration in both the CAPD and the hyperlipidemic patients. This decrease was especially pronounced in the HDLE fraction and could involve an upregulation of the apo B-E and/or apo E receptor. These results should provide information about the mechanism of action of this drug in patients with end-stage renal disease.
