J. Spacil et al., The effect of four-year hypolipidaemic treatment on the intimal thickness of the common carotid artery in patients with familiar hyperlipidaemia, INT ANGIOL, 18(4), 1999, pp. 313-319
Background. Cholesterol lowering in patients with above-average cholesterol
levels has been shown to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, We ass
ess the effects of lipid lowering therapy on the progression of early, prei
ntrusive carotid arterial atherosclerosis in high risk patients with famili
al hyperlipidaemia free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease.
Methods. Fifty-two patients with familial hyperlipidaemia by were treated b
y diet and various hypolipidaemic drugs. Eighteen individuals were not taki
ng hypolipidaemic drugs. In a prospective study by B-mode ultrasound we ass
essed the intima-media thickness of the distal common carotid arterial (CCA
) far wall at baseline and after 4 years.
Results. In a subgroup of 25 patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia t
here was a significant decrease in total and LDL cholesterol and reduction
in the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery from 0.78/-0.22 mm to 0.69+/-0.17 mm (p=0.004). In a subgroup of 27 patients with fa
milial combined hyperlipidaemia significant decreases in total and LDL chol
esterol and triglycerides were associated with a decrease in the IMT of com
mon carotid. artery from 0.72+/-0.22 mm to 0.67+/-0.15 mm (p=0.044). In 18
individuals, who were not taking hypolipidaemic drugs, there were no signif
icant changes in the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and in the IMT
of the common carotid artery (increase from 0.58+/-0.18 mm to 0 62+/-0.13
mm, p>0.05).
Conclusions. Lipid-lowering therapy in patients with familial hyperlipidaem
ia free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease reverses the progression of e
arly, preintrusive atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. It is a beneficia
l sign indicating the possibility for atherosclerosis regression.