Effects of Long-Term Probucol Treatment on Serum Lipids, Lipoprotein Lipids and Skin Xanthomas in Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemic Patients

Abstract

The effects of long-term (12 months) probucol treatment on serum lipids, lipoprotein lipids and skin xanthomas were studied in 17 heterozygous patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Probucol was administered for 12 months in a dose of 1.0g per day. Serum lipids and lipoprotein determinations were performed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment.
Following results were obtained.
(1) The total cholesterol (CHOL) levels decreased from 345±17 (Mean±SE) mg/dl to a minimum of 271±15mg/dl (a decrease of 22%, p<0.001).
(2) The LDL-CHOL levels decreased from 272±17mg/dl to a minimum of 223±13mg/dl (a decrease of 17%, p<0.001).
(3) The HDL-CHOL levels decreased from 40±2 mg/dl to a minimum of 23±2 mg/dl (a decrease of 40%, p<0.001).
(4) The VLDL-CHOL/VLDL-TG ratio increased from 0.43±0.03 to 0.50±0.03 (p<0.05).The LDL-CHOL/LDL-TG ratio decreased from 6.86±1.09 to 4.04±0.36 (p<0.05).
(5) The LDL-CHOL/HDL-CHOL ratio increased from 7.16±0.64 to 10.35±0.96 (p<0.001).
(6) A reduction of tuberous xanthomas and xanthelasma was noticed in three of 6 heterozygous patients with FH.
These data suggest that probucol is an effective hypolipidemic agent for heterozygous patients with FH.