LACK OF INTERACTION OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E PHENOTYPE WITH THE LIPOPROTEIN RESPONSE TO LOVASTATIN OR GEMFIBROZIL IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

The magnitude of serum lipid changes in response to hypolipidemic drug s varies considerably between individuals. These differences may be du e to interactions between genetic and environmental factors that effec t drug bioavailability or the capacity of the lipid-regulating enzyme and receptor targets to be affected. The apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene locus has been examined in this regard, but reports are conflicting on the effect of its variability on the response to hypolipidemic drugs. We investigated the effect of apoE polymorphism on the serum lipid re sponse to the hepatic hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A [HMG CoA) redu ctase inhibitor lovastatin and the fibric acid derivative gemfibrozil. Lipoprotein changes were assessed after 12 weeks of therapy in 106 pa tients with primary hypercholesterolemia and combined hyperlipidemia t reated with lovastastin and in 63 given gemfibrozil therapy. No signif icant effect of the apoE phenotypes E3/2, E3/3, or E4/3 on the heterog eneity of lipid responses to either drug was found. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.