Pitavastatin decreases plasma prebeta1-HDL concentration and might promote its disappearance rate in hypercholesterolemic patients.

AIM

Prebeta1-HDL is involved in the initial step of cholesterol efflux from peripheral cells and plays an important role in reverse cholesterol transport. We studied the effect of pitavastatin on the HDL subfraction profile, prebeta1-HDL concentration and its disappearance rate.

METHODS

Twenty-nine hypercholesterolemic patients were treated with pitavastatin at 2 mg/day for 4 weeks, and plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol (C), HDL(2)-C, HDL(3)-C, prebeta1-HDL, LCAT activity, and CETP mass were assayed. The prebeta1-HDL disappearance rate was determined as the difference in prebeta1-HDL concentration before and after incubation at 37 degrees C for 90 min divided by the pre-incubation prebeta1-HDL concentration.

RESULTS

Pitavastatin led to significant decreases in TC by 26.9% and LDL-C by 39.8%. HDL-C and HDL(2)-C increased significantly by 6.0% and 9.0%, respectively, but there was no significant change in HDL(3)-C. Prebeta1-HDL concentration significantly decreased (-8.7%; p<0.05); however, its disappearance rate significantly increased (13.0%; p<0.05). There were significant decreases in both LCAT activity and CETP mass.

CONCLUSION

Although pitavastatin decreased plasma prebeta1-HDL concentration, it increased the prebeta1-HDL disappearance rate. These data suggest that pitavastatin might promote the early step of reverse cholesterol transport.