Aim: To compare the effects of different low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol-lowering statin treatments on small dense LDL (sd-LDL) in hypercholesterolemic patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Methods: Forty hypercholesterolemic MetS patients ?30 years of age were randomized to rosuvas-tatin (n=17) or other statins (n=23) groups. In the other statins group, those taking atorvastatin (n=12) were also evaluated separately. Statin doses were 10 mg/day rosuvastatin, 20 mg/day atorvas-tatin, 40 mg/day simvastatin, and 40 mg/day pravastatin. Treatment duration was planned to be 8 weeks. Sd-LDL levels were assessed at baseline and at the completion of treatment.
Results: After treatment, sd-LDL levels were significantly reduced in all 3 groups (from 29.6+/-24.8 mg/dL to 8.9+/-8.5 mg/dL in the rosuvastatin group, p=0.001; from 26.2+/-15 mg/dL to 14.8+/-9.6 mg/dL in the atorvastatin group, p=0.02; and from 29.1+/-16.5 mg/dL to 14.7+/-11.2 mg/dL in the other statins group, p=0.0001). There was no significant difference in the mean percent changes among groups.
Conclusion: Significant reduction in sd-LDL levels was observed after 8 weeks of statin treatment in hypercholesterolemic patients with MetS. This effect was similar for all statins and can be considered a class effect.