Effects of atorvastatin on dyslipidaemia in uraemic patients on peritoneal dialysis

• Published in: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 684 - 688
• Main Authors: Hufnagel, Gilles, Michel, Catherine, Vrtovsnik, François, Queffeulou, Guillaume, Kossari, Niloufar, Mignon, Françoise
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01-05-2000
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anticholesteremic Agents - adverse effects; Anticholesteremic Agents - therapeutic use; Atorvastatin; Biological and medical sciences; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Emergency and intensive care: renal failure. Dialysis management; Female; Heptanoic Acids - adverse effects; Heptanoic Acids - therapeutic use; Humans; hypercholesterolaemia; Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy; Hyperlipidemias - etiology; Hyperlipidemias - prevention & control; hypertriglyceridaemia; Hypolipidemic Agents - adverse effects; Hypolipidemic Agents - therapeutic use; Intensive care medicine; Lipids - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; mixed dyslipidaemia; Peritoneal Dialysis; Prospective Studies; Pyrroles - adverse effects; Pyrroles - therapeutic use; Triglycerides - blood; Uremia - blood; Uremia - therapy; Kidney disease; Human; Urinary system disease; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Peritoneal dialysis; Extrarenal dialysis; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Treatment; Renal failure; Atorvastatin; Complication; Dyslipemia; Uremia; Antilipemic agent
• ISSN: 0931-0509; 1460-2385
• DOI: 10.1093/ndt/15.5.684

Background. Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin, a potent cholesterol‐ and triglyceride‐lowering agent, in peritoneal dialysis patients with dyslipidaemia. Methods. Peritoneal dialysis patients with hypercholesterolaemia were treated for 4 months with atorvastatin at a starting dose of 10 mg. The dose could be increased to 20 or 40 mg in order to achieve the following targets: plasma LDL‐cholesterol of 130 mg/dl for primary prevention of coronary heart disease, plasma LDL cholesterol of 100 mg/dl for secondary prevention, and plasma triglycerides of 200 mg/dl. Plasma lipid profile and liver and muscle enzyme levels were assessed at baseline and then monthly during treatment. Results. Thirty‐one patients with hypercholesterolaemia were included (16 males and 15 females; mean age 57±16 years; mean duration of peritoneal dialysis 27±17 months). Nineteen of the patients also had hypertriglyceridaemia and seven had diabetes. Twenty patients had no coronary history (primary prevention), whereas nine had experienced a coronary event (secondary prevention). In the primary and the secondary prevention patients, mean LDL‐cholesterol levels (mg/dl) decreased significantly by 42 and 46% from 204±23 to 119±27 (P<0.001) and 198±37 to 104±21 (P<0.001), and mean triglyceride levels (mg/dl) decreased by 37 and 26% from 289±132 to 186±92 (P<0.001) and 201±62 to 150±54 (P<0.001 respectively). Nineteen primary prevention and seven secondary prevention patients achieved the LDL‐cholesterol target. The triglyceride target was achieved by 15 of the 19 hypertriglyceridaemic patients. Two patients stopped treatment (one because of gastrointestinal disturbances, the other because of an allergic skin reaction). After 4 months, there were no changes in enzyme levels. Conclusion. Atorvastatin is an effective and safe lipid‐lowering agent for peritoneal dialysis patients with mixed dyslipidaemia.