Abstract
The efficacy and safety of lovastatin as a hypolipidemic agent were evaluated in ten adult patients with secondary hypocchoeesterolemia due to proteinuria (>2 g/d) and (in seven patients) concurrent corticosteroid therapy. Patients were on a low-cholesterol diet throughout the study. After a 4-week baseline period, patients were randomized to receive either placebo or 10 mg lovastatin twice daily for a period of 6 weeks. The dose of lovastatin was increased to 20 mg twice daily for 6 weeks, and 40 mg twice daily for 6 weeks in the latter group. Those patients who received placebo for the first 6 weeks subsequently received 10, 20, and 40 mg of lovastatin twice daily in a stepped dose regimen, with each dose given for 6 weeks. Lovastatin was well tolerated by all patients and none withdrew from the study. Baseline plasma cholesterol concentrations (390 ± 20 mg/dL; mean ± SEM) decreased 22% (P < 0.003) at the lowest dose of 10 mg twice daily, 27% at 20 mg twice daily, and 33% at 40 mg twice daily. Baseline plasma triglycerides decreased by 25% (P < 0.05) at the highest dosage. Concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol fell by 29%, 34%, and 45% on doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg of lovastatin twice daily. Concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased slightly. Serum creatinine concentrations and proteinuria were not affected by lovastatin therapy. We conclude that lovastatin was a well-tolerated and extremely effective hypocholesterolemic agent in patients with persistent secondary hype rcholesterolemia associated with proteinuria or proteinuria and concurrent corticosteroid therapy.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 312-320 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | American Journal of Kidney Diseases |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1989 |
Keywords
- Proteinuria
- hyperlipidemia
- lovastatin
- plasma cholesterol
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nephrology