ERYTHROCYTE-MEMBRANE CHOLESTEROL PHOSPHOLIPID CHANGES AND HEMORHEOLOGICAL MODIFICATIONS IN FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA TREATED WITH LOVASTATIN/

Fourteen patients with familial hypercholesterolemia treated with lova statin (40 mg/day) for three months were studied to find out whether t he expected changes in plasma lipids are accompanied by modifications in the lipid composition of the erythrocyte membrane and whether these in turn induce changes in the rheological behavior of the red blood c ell. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of lovastatin in reducing th e plasma concentration of cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. The changes observed in the plasma lipids correlate with a significant decrease i n the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of the red blood cell membrane, f rom 1.19 +/- 0.19 in a basal situation to 0.92 +/- 0.23 (p < 0.01) at the end of treatment. These changes in the lipid composition of the ce ll are statistically related to a decrease in erythrocyte aggregabilit y and an improvement in blood filterability, which means beneficial ch ange in the patients' hemorheological situation.