The effect of atorvastatin on postprandial lipaemia in overweight or obesewomen homozygous for apo E3

Objective-To determine the effect of atorvastatin on postprandial lipaemia in overweight or obese women with the apoprotein (apo) E3/E3 genotype. Design-Double-blind randomised, placebo-controlled 8-week single-centre stu dy. Subjects-Twenty-two healthy women, homozygous for apo E3 with a BMI ranging from 27.6 to 41.1 kg/m(2) and normal or moderately elevated fasting trigly cerides (53-184 mg/dl), Treatment-After a 4-week isocaloric single-blind, placebo lead-in period, s ubjects were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n = 7) or atorvas tatin 20 mg once daily in the evening (n = 15) for 4 weeks. Results-Atorvastatin significantly reduces fasting total cholesterol, LDL-c holesterol and postprandial triglycerides in obese women, homozygous for ap o E3 with normal or near-normal fasting triglyceride levels. No significant effect on fasting triglycerides was observed. Conclusion-Atorvastatin decreases postprandial hyperlipidaemia, an independ ent cardiovascular risk factor, in normolipidaemic obese women. This effect of atorvastatin may, therefore, represent a cardioprotective mechanism.