LOVASTATIN IN GLOMERULONEPHRITIS PATIENTS WITH HYPERLIPEMIA AND HEAVYPROTEINURIA

Lovastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitor, was giv en to 14 patients with unremittent nephrotic syndrome (heavy proteinur ia with hyperlipidaemia) for 6 months. Treatment was started at an ini tial dose of 20 mg/day, increasing to a maximum of 80 mg/day. Treatmen t was well tolerated except in two patients: one developed rhabdomyoly sis and one severe hypertriglyceridaemia requiring an additional antih yperlipidaemic agent. Lovastatin was effective in reducing serum chole sterol, LDL-C and apolipoprotein B in the remaining 12 patients. Chole sterol was reduced by 31% from 8.24 +/- 0.49 nmol/l (mean +/- SEM) to 5.7 +/- 0.18 mmol/l after 6 months (P < 0.001). LDL-C was normalized t o 3.26 +/- 0.21 mmol/l from a pretreatment value of 5.76 +/- 0.48 mmol /l (P < 0.001), a decrease of 43%. Serum apolipoprotein B was also nor malized to 1.11 +/- 0.09 g/l from a basal level of 1.51 +/- 0.10 g/l ( P < 0.05). Triglyceride, HDL-C and apolipoprotein Al concentrations we re unchanged. Proteinuria as well as renal albumin clearance were unch anged. GFR by plasma radioisotope Cr-EDTA clearance for the whole grou p was unaltered by treatment. However, among those with relatively goo d pretreatment renal function (GFR > 70 ml/min per 1.73 m2), GFR incre ased at the end of 6 months' treatment (118.2 +/- 15 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 versus 77.6 +/- 8.4 ml/min per 1.73 m2 in wash-out phase). ERPF and filtration fraction for the whole group remained unchanged. This incre ase in GFR might be secondary to a beneficial effect of lovastatin tow ards ameliorating renal disease progression.