Effects of baseline level of triglycerides on changes in lipid levels from combined fluvastatin + fibrate (bezafibrate, fenofibrate, or gemfibrozil)

This analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of baseline triglyceride levels on lipid and lipoprotein changes after treatment with the combination of fluvastatin and fibrates. The analysis involved pooling data from 10 studies that included 1,018 patients with either mixed hyperlipidemia or primary hypercholesterolemia. Patients received a combination of fluvastatin and a fibrate (bezafibrate, fenofibrate, or gemfibrozil) from 16 to 108 weeks. The combination of fluvastatin and a fibrate improved lipid profiles, with reductions in triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol that were dependent on baseline triglyceride levels. The greatest triglyceride reductions were observed in patients with high baseline triglyceride levels (> or =400 mg/dl) (41%, p <0.0001). The greatest LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol reductions occurred in patients with normal baseline triglyceride levels (<150 mg/dl) (35% and 33%, respectively; p <0.0001). The combined fluvastatin-fibrate therapy was well tolerated. Two patients (0.2%) (1 patient on fluvastatin 80 mg + gemfibrozil 1,200 mg and 1 patient on fluvastatin 20 mg + fenofibrate 200 mg) had creatine kinase levels > or =10 times the upper limit of normal, 11 patients (1.1%) had an elevation in alanine transaminase >3 times the upper limit of normal, and 7 patients (0.7%) had elevations in aspartate transaminase >3 times the upper limit of normal. Combined fluvastatin-fibrate therapy takes advantage of the complementary effects of the 2 agents, with the extent of triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol lowering dependent on baseline triglyceride levels. The combination of fluvastatin and fibrates was well tolerated with no major safety concerns.