Effects of pravastatin on thoracic aortic atherosclerosis in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 82; no. 12; pp. 1484 - 1488
• Main Authors: Pitsavos, Christos E, Aggeli, Konstantina I, Barbetseas, John D, Skoumas, Ioannis N, Lambrou, Spyros G, Frogoudaki, Alexandra A, Stefanadis, Christodoulos I, Toutouzas, Pavlos K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15-12-1998; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Anticholesteremic Agents - therapeutic use; Aorta, Thoracic; Arteriosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Arteriosclerosis - etiology; Arteriosclerosis - pathology; Arteriosclerosis - prevention & control; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Drug therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General and cellular metabolism. Vitamins; Humans; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II - complications; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II - drug therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pravastatin - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography; Cardiovascular disease; Lipids; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Pravastatin; Arterial disease; Vascular disease; Prevention; Morphological analysis; Atherosclerosis; Complication; Evolution; Dyslipemia; Esophageal route; Sonography; Human; Echocardiography; Enzyme; Treatment efficiency; Enzyme inhibitor; Metabolic diseases; Exploration; Corporal biometry; Long term; Genetic disease; Heterozygosity; Thoracic aorta; Chemotherapy; Hypercholesterolemia; Treatment; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase; Oxidoreductases; Aortic disease; Antilipemic agent
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9149(98)00691-2

Data regarding the effects of plasma lipid lowering on the evolution of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis (TAA) are scarce. In this study, we performed transesophageal echocardiography to characterize TAA in 16 newly diagnosed patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and to follow its evolution after 2 years of statin treatment. TAA was graded as follows: grade I = normal intima; grade II = increased intimal echo density without thickening; grade IIIA = increased intimal echo density with single atheromatous plaque ≤3 mm; grade IIIB = multiple plaques ≤3mm; grade IV = ≥1 plaque >3 mm; and grade V = mobile or ulcerated plaques. Baseline aortic intimal morphology was grade I in one patient, grade II in 4, grade IIIA in 6, grade IIIB in 3, and grade IV in 2 patients. Hypolipidemic treatment resulted in significant reductions in plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Follow-up aortic morphology was grade I in 5 patients, grade II in 2, grade IIIA in 3, grade IIIB in 3, and grade IV in 3 patients. TAA remained stable in 7 patients, progressed in 3, and regressed in 6 patients. TAA evolved in a uniform manner in the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta. Patients with TAA regression were younger (39 ± 14 vs 52 ± 8 years, p = 0.038) and had a greater decrease in plasma LDL cholesterol as a result of treatment (138 ± 56 vs 73 ± 55 mg/dl, p = 0.036) than patients with TAA stability or progression. These observations support the hypothesis that hypolipidemic treatment may favorably affect the course of TAA in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.