CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF PROBUCOL IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA - INDIVIDUAL LIPOPROTEIN RESPONSES AND INHIBITORY EFFECT ON CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSISPROGRESSION

Probucol treatment has been evaluated in 140 patients with hypercholes terolemia attending a single Lipid Clinic, in an attempt to identify t he relations between lipid/lipoprotein responses and patient character istics. Probucol was administered as a single drug at the standard dos e (0.5 g tablets b.i.d.) for at least 6 months. One-hundred (71%) pati ents displayed a reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL -C), which was significantly correlated with the baseline LDL-C level (r = 0.64; p < 0.0001). ?Most of the patients (90%) also responded wit h a reduction of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); the HDL -C reduction was also directly related to baseline HDL cholesterolemia (r = 0.67, p < 0.0001). A highly significant correlation was found be tween the individual LDL-C and HDL-C responses. Eleven patients who co ntinued with probucol treatment had a B-mode ultrasonographic investig ation performed at baseline and after 24 months. No changes in carotid mean and maximal intimal-medial thickness were recorded. in contrast to an increase (i.e., indicative of atherosclerosis progression) in ma tched patients with hypercholesterolemia receiving other lipid-lowerin g regimens. Our report underlines that probucol can still provide a va luable option for the treatment for hypercholesterolemia, being partic ularly effective in patients with a combined increase of LDL-C and HDL -C levels.