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1.
Effect on Fasting Serum Glucose Levels of Adding Ezetimibe to Statins in Patients With Nondiabetic Hypercholesterolemia.
Toth, PP, Catapano, AL, Farnier, M, Foody, J, Tomassini, JE, Jensen, E, Polis, AB, Hanson, ME, Musliner, TA, Tershakovec, AM
The American journal of cardiology. 2016;(12):1812-1820
Abstract
Statin therapy is associated with a slightly increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance in patients without diabetes. Ezetimibe combined with statins may be considered for high-risk patients who do not achieve optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering on statin monotherapy or who are statin intolerant. Changes in fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels during ezetimibe, ezetimibe/statin, and statin treatments were assessed using data pooled from clinical trials in hypercholesterolemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemic patients, who were or were not receiving statin therapy. Study types included first-line trials in statin-naive/wash-out patients and second-line add-on and uptitration studies in patients on stable statin therapy. Similar analyses of FSG changes were performed separately for each study type in patients who were nondiabetic at baseline. Across all study types and treatments, mean FSG increases from baseline were small (0.5 to 3.7 mg/dl with ezetimibe/statin; 0.2 to 4.6 mg/dl with statins) and decreased over time; between-treatment differences (0.3 to 1.4 mg/dl) were nonsignificant for all comparisons. Proportions of patients with elevated FSG ≥126 mg/dl during therapy were low and similar for all treatments in the overall cohort (1.2% to 4.3%). Elevations were highest (3.3% to 25.7%) among patients with baseline factors characteristic of metabolic syndrome and prediabetes, including higher FSG, body mass index, and triglyceride levels, and numerically lower baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; however, these factors were not related to FSG increases. Changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B were not significantly correlated with FSG increases. In conclusion, statin therapy was associated with small FSG increases, and the addition of ezetimibe did not further increase FSG levels beyond those of statins when given to patients who are statin naive or those on statin therapy.
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The effects of statins on benign prostatic hyperplasia in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome.
Zhang, X, Zeng, X, Dong, L, Zhao, X, Qu, X
World journal of urology. 2015;(12):2071-7
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of simvastatin and atorvastatin in elderly male patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) accompanied by metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS Eligible patients aged >60 year with BPH accompanied by MetS were randomly assigned to receive 40 mg of simvastatin daily, 20 mg of atorvastatin daily or placebo (control group) treatment for 12 months. Serum lipids, interleukin 6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume (PV) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were tested before and after treatment. RESULTS The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hs-CRP, IL-6 and IPSS was decreased, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was increased, and PV was reduced in the patients following treatments with statins. The PV of the patients who received simvastatin were reduced more than those of the patients who received atorvastatin. The decrease in PV was more significant in the obesity patients than in the normal weight patients and in the hyperlipidemia patients than in the normal-lipid patients following the statin interventions. The reduction in PV was positively related to the decreases in the levels of TC and IL-6 and to the increase in the level of HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS Simvastatin and atorvastatin significantly reduced PV, improved lower urinary tract symptoms, and slowed the clinical progression of BPH possibly by lowering cholesterol and anti-inflammatory factors.
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3.
Influence of metabolic syndrome factors and insulin resistance on the efficacy of ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin in patients with metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic coronary heart disease risk.
Rosen, JB, Ballantyne, CM, Hsueh, WA, Lin, J, Shah, AK, Lowe, RS, Tershakovec, AM
Lipids in health and disease. 2015;:103
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance (IR) are increasing in prevalence, are associated with higher risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), and may potentially influence the responses to lipid-altering drug therapy. This study evaluated the effects of MetS factors (abdominal obesity, depleted high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and elevated triglycerides, blood pressure, and fasting glucose) and IR on ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin treatment efficacy in patients with MetS. METHODS This post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, 6-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel group study of 1128 subjects with hypercholesterolemia, MetS, and moderately high/high CHD risk evaluated the effects of baseline MetS factors/IR on percent change from baseline in lipids, apolipoproteins, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), after treatment with the usual starting doses of ezetimibe/simvastatin (10/20 mg) versus atorvastatin (10 mg, 20 mg) and next higher doses (10/40 mg versus 40 mg). RESULTS Ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin efficacy was generally consistent across MetS factor/IR subgroups. Ezetimibe/simvastatin produced greater incremental percent reductions in LDL-C, non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, and lipoprotein ratios for all subgroups, and larger percent increases in HDL-C and apolipoprotein AI for all but non-obese and HDL-C ≥ 40 mg/dL subgroups than atorvastatin at the doses compared. Triglycerides, very-LDL-C, and hs-CRP results were more variable but similar between treatment groups. CONCLUSION The magnitude of lipid-altering effects produced by each treatment regimen was generally similar across all MetS and IR subgroups. Ezetimibe/simvastatin produced greater percent reductions in most lipid fractions than atorvastatin at the dose comparisons studied, and all treatments were generally well tolerated. (Registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00409773).
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The effects of improved metabolic risk factors on bone turnover markers after 12 weeks of simvastatin treatment with or without exercise.
Jiang, J, Boyle, LJ, Mikus, CR, Oberlin, DJ, Fletcher, JA, Thyfault, JP, Hinton, PS
Metabolism: clinical and experimental. 2014;(11):1398-408
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emerging evidence supports an association between metabolic risk factors and bone turnover. Statins and exercise independently improve metabolic risk factors; however whether improvements in metabolic risk factor affects bone turnover is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to: 1) evaluate the relationship between metabolic risk factors and bone turnover; and 2) determine if improvements in metabolic risk factors after 12 weeks of statin treatment, exercise or the combination affect bone turnover. METHODS Fifty participants with ≥2 metabolic syndrome defining characteristics were randomly assigned to one of three groups: statin (STAT: simvastatin, 40 mg/day), exercise (EX: brisk walking and/or slow jogging, 45 minutes/day, 5 days/week), or the combination (STAT+EX). Body composition and whole body bone mineral density were measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum markers of bone formation (bone specific alkaline phosphatase, BAP; osteocalcin, OC), resorption (C-terminal peptide of type I collagen, CTX) and metabolic risk factors were determined. Two-factor (time, group) repeated-measures ANCOVA was used to examine changes of metabolic risk factors and bone turnover. General linear models were used to determine the effect of pre-treatment metabolic risk factors on post-treatment bone turnover marker outcomes. RESULTS Participants with ≥4 metabolic syndrome defining characteristics had lower pre-treatment OC than those with 3 or fewer. OC was negatively correlated with glucose, and CTX was positively correlated with cholesterol. STAT or STAT+EX lowered total and LDL cholesterol. The OC to CTX ratio decreased in all groups with no other significant changes in bone turnover. Higher pre-treatment insulin or body fat predicted a greater CTX reduction and a greater BAP/CTX increase. CONCLUSION Metabolic risk factors were negatively associated with bone turnover markers. Short-term statin treatment with or without exercise lowered cholesterol and all treatments had a small effect on bone turnover.
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High-dose statin monotherapy versus low-dose statin/ezetimibe combination on fasting and postprandial lipids and endothelial function in obese patients with the metabolic syndrome: The PANACEA study.
Westerink, J, Deanfield, JE, Imholz, BP, Spiering, W, Basart, DC, Coll, B, Kastelein, JJ, Visseren, FL
Atherosclerosis. 2013;(1):118-24
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low-dose statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe, an inhibitor of intestinal cholesterol absorption, lowers plasma LDL-cholesterol levels to a similar degree as high-dose statin monotherapy. This study assessed whether similar LDL-cholesterol lowering with simvastatin/ezetimibe combination therapy improves fasting and postprandial arterial endothelial function compared to high-dose statin therapy alone. METHODS Multicenter, double-blind, crossover trial in 100 abdominally obese patients with the metabolic syndrome, randomized to 6 weeks' treatment with simvastatin 80 mg or simvastatin/ezetimibe 10/10 mg. Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) and peripheral arterial tonometry (EndoPAT) as well as plasma lipids were measured in the fasting state and after an oral lipid load at baseline and after both treatments. RESULTS Fasting LDL-cholesterol levels (3.57 mmol/L at baseline) were reduced to 1.79 mmol/L following treatment with simvastatin 80 mg and 1.81 mmol/L with simvastatin/ezetimibe 10/10 mg, respectively. Plasma lipids were similar at 4 h after an oral lipid load following both treatments for 6 weeks. Fasting endothelial function was also similar with both treatments when assessed by FMD (adjusted mean ± SE: 4.35 ± 0.19 vs. 4.43 ± 0.18; P = 0.777) and EndoPAT (2.12 ± 0.05 vs 2.20 ± 0.05; P = 0.304). After an oral fat load, changes in endothelial function were also comparable for both treatments as assessed by FMD (-0.34 ± 0.21 vs. -0.43 ± 0.20; P = 0.766) and EndoPAT (0.00 ± 0.07 vs. -0.04 ± 0.08; P = 0.712). CONCLUSION Treatment with simvastatin/ezetimibe 10/10 mg induced no difference in endothelial function in the fasting and postprandial state compared to simvastatin 80 mg while attaining similar LDL-c levels in obese patients with metabolic syndrome.
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Age, abdominal obesity, and baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein are associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B responses to ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin in patients with metabolic syndrome.
Robinson, JG, Ballantyne, CM, Hsueh, WA, Rosen, JB, Lin, J, Shah, AK, Tomassini, JE, Lowe, RS, Tershakovec, AM
Journal of clinical lipidology. 2013;(4):292-303
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment response to lipid-lowering therapy can vary in patients with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to various patient demographic and baseline characteristics. OBJECTIVE This study assessed the relationships between baseline characteristics and changes in lipid variables, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and attainment of prespecified low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels in MetS patients treated with ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin. METHODS This is a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, 6-week parallel study in >1000 hypercholesterolemic subjects (median age of 59 years) with MetS and moderately high/high coronary heart disease risk who were treated with ezetimibe/simvastatin (10/20 and 10/40 mg) or atorvastatin (10, 20, 40 mg). Factors that could affect these treatments were assessed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS Increasing age, abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 40/35 inches for men/women), and lower baseline hs-CRP were significant predictors of greater reductions in LDL-C, non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but not for changes in HDL-C or apolipoprotein AI; effects of race and baseline triglycerides, non-HDL-C, LDL-C, or HDL-C levels were more limited. Age ≥ 65 years (versus <65 years) was also associated with significantly greater attainment of all LDL-C and non-HDL-C targets, whereas abdominal obesity, gender (female > male) and lower baseline LDL-C, non-HDL-C, triglycerides, and hs-CRP were associated with improved attainment for some of these targets. Blood pressure, fasting glucose, Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance tertiles, and diabetes did not predict response for any efficacy variable. Ezetimibe/simvastatin treatment (versus atorvastatin) was a significant predictor for change in most efficacy variables. CONCLUSIONS Treatment responses to ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin in at-risk patients with the MetS were related to age (≥ 65 years), abdominal obesity, and lower baseline hs-CRP. Ezetimibe/simvastatin treatment was found to be consistently more effective than atorvastatin at the specified dose comparisons across these subgroups. The clinical value of predictive factors requires further study in outcome trials.
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Simvastatin impairs exercise training adaptations.
Mikus, CR, Boyle, LJ, Borengasser, SJ, Oberlin, DJ, Naples, SP, Fletcher, J, Meers, GM, Ruebel, M, Laughlin, MH, Dellsperger, KC, et al
Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2013;(8):709-14
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine if simvastatin impairs exercise training adaptations. BACKGROUND Statins are commonly prescribed in combination with therapeutic lifestyle changes, including exercise, to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in patients with metabolic syndrome. Statin use has been linked to skeletal muscle myopathy and impaired mitochondrial function, but it is unclear whether statin use alters adaptations to exercise training. METHODS This study examined the effects of simvastatin on changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content in response to aerobic exercise training. Sedentary overweight or obese adults with at least 2 metabolic syndrome risk factors (defined according to National Cholesterol Education Panel Adult Treatment Panel III criteria) were randomized to 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training or to exercise in combination with simvastatin (40 mg/day). The primary outcomes were cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle (vastus lateralis) mitochondrial content (citrate synthase enzyme activity). RESULTS Thirty-seven participants (exercise plus statins: n = 18; exercise only: n = 19) completed the study. Cardiorespiratory fitness increased by 10% (p < 0.05) in response to exercise training alone, but was blunted by the addition of simvastatin resulting in only a 1.5% increase (p < 0.005 for group by time interaction). Similarly, skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity increased by 13% in the exercise-only group (p < 0.05), but decreased by 4.5% in the simvastatin-plus-exercise group (p < 0.05 for group-by-time interaction). CONCLUSIONS Simvastatin attenuates increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content when combined with exercise training in overweight or obese patients at risk of the metabolic syndrome. (Exercise, Statins, and the Metabolic Syndrome; NCT01700530).
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The efficacy and safety of ezetimibe/simvastatin combination compared with intensified lipid-lowering treatment strategies in diabetic subjects with and without metabolic syndrome.
Jimenez, JG, Rosen, JB, Pirags, V, Massaad, R, Hanson, ME, Brudi, P, Triscari, J
Diabetes, obesity & metabolism. 2013;(6):513-22
Abstract
AIMS: The objective was to assess the consistency of effect of switching to ezetimibe/simvastatin 10/20 mg versus doubling the baseline statin dose (to simvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 20 mg) or switching to rosuvastatin 10 mg across subgroups of subjects with (n = 617) and without (n = 191) metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS This was a post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, 6-week study of adults 18-79 years with cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥70 and ≤160 mg/dl. The percent change in LDL-C and other lipids was estimated within each subgroup separately. Safety and tolerability were assessed. RESULTS In subjects with MetS, percent changes in LDL-C and other lipids were greater with ezetimibe/simvastatin versus doubling baseline statin or numerically greater versus switching to rosuvastatin, except high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein (Apo) AI (mean percent changes in LDL-C were: -22.49% ezetimibe/simvastatin, -9.64% doubled baseline statin and -19.20% rosuvastatin). In subjects without MetS, percent changes in LDL-C, total cholesterol and Apo B were greater with ezetimibe/simvastatin versus doubling baseline statin or numerically greater versus switching to rosuvastatin (mean percent changes in LDL-C were: -25.14% ezetimibe/simvastatin, -4.75% doubled baseline statin and -19.75% rosuvastatin). Safety profiles were generally similar. CONCLUSION These results showed that switching to ezetimibe/simvastatin 10/20 mg was more effective at reducing LDL-C, total cholesterol and Apo B versus doubling the baseline statin dose to simvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 20 mg or switching to rosuvastatin 10 mg regardless of MetS status. These results were generally similar to those of the full cohort.
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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it": a commentary on the positive-negative results of the ACCORD Lipid study.
Tenenbaum, A, Fisman, EZ
Cardiovascular diabetology. 2010;:24
Abstract
Even using intensive statin monotherapy, many patients fail to achieve all the desired lipid goals and remain at high residual risk of cardiovascular events. In view of the still unproven decisively intensive "statin as monotherapy" strategy and "residual risk" concept, it is logical to ask whether other strategies, particularly fibrate/statin combination therapy, could be more beneficial and safer. A clear benefit of fibrate monotherapy did emerge previously among patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia (particularly high triglycerides and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]) typically present in the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. In contrast, in patients without atherogenic dyslipidemia this favorable effect was not demonstrated. The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study investigated whether combination therapy with a statin plus a fibrate, as compared with statin monotherapy, would reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, relevant patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia represented less than 17 percent of the ACCORD Lipid population (941 out of 5518 patients). In this prespecified subgroup, the patients benefited from fenofibrate therapy in addition to simvastatin similar to the previous "fibrate's as monotherapy" trials: the primary outcome rate was 12.4% in the fenofibrate group, versus 17.3% in the placebo group (28% crude HR reduction, CI less than 1, e.g. statistically significant findings). Among all other 4548 patients without atherogenic dyslipidemia such rates were 10.1% in both fenofibrate and placebo study groups. Authors concluded that in the overall cohort of patients the combination of fenofibrate and simvastatin did not reduce the rate of the cardiovascular events as compared with simvastatin alone. Thus, their results do not support the routine use of combination therapy with fenofibrate and simvastatin to reduce cardiovascular risk in the general patients with type 2 diabetes. A recent large meta-analysis regarding effects of fibrates on cardiovascular outcomes noted greater effect sizes in trials that recorded a higher mean baseline triglyceride concentration (p = 0.030). As expected, in a so called "general population", reflecting a blend of effects in patients with and without atherogenic dyslipidemia, a mean "diluted" effect of fibrate therapy was reduced, but still producing a significant 10% relative risk (RR) decrease in major cardiovascular events (p = 0.048) and a 13% RR reduction for coronary events (p < 0.0001). It should be pinpointed that the epidemiological characteristics of the ACCORD Lipid study depart from those seen in real clinical practice: among people with type 2 diabetes, there is a high prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. For example, an analysis of NHANES III data in adults aged >or=50 years showed that approximately 86% of patients with type 2 diabetes also had the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, an important finding of ACCORD Lipid study was the observation that fibrates may lead to cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia not only as monotherapy but in combination with statins as well. In conclusion, in patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL-C, fibrates -- either as monotherapy or combined with statins - were associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events. In patients without dyslipidemia this favorable effect - as expected - was absent.
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Relationships between metabolic syndrome and other baseline factors and the efficacy of ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.
Goldberg, RB, Guyton, JR, Mazzone, T, Weinstock, RS, Polis, AB, Tipping, D, Tomassini, JE, Tershakovec, AM
Diabetes care. 2010;(5):1021-4
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate relationships between baseline factors and treatment-associated efficacy changes in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Multivariable analyses of treatment response in 1,229 type 2 diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia who received ezetimibe/simvastatin or atorvastatin in a randomized double-blind 6-week study. RESULTS Increasing age was related to improvements in all lipid assessments. Men had greater triglyceride and non-HDL cholesterol reductions than women, and black/Hispanic patients had less favorable lipid effects than other races/ethnicities. Increasing baseline LDL cholesterol was associated with improvements in most lipids; higher baseline non-HDL cholesterol with improved HDL cholesterol and triglycerides; higher baseline HDL cholesterol with greater non-HDL cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) reductions; and higher baseline hs-CRP with smaller LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B reductions. Patients with high baseline non-HDL cholesterol or triglycerides less frequently attained LDL cholesterol targets. Obesity was inversely related to HDL cholesterol and hs-CRP changes, and higher baseline A1C to smaller apolipoprotein B reductions. Metabolic syndrome was not a significant predictor. CONCLUSIONS Treatment responses in type 2 diabetic patients were related to baseline factors, although treatment effects (ezetimibe/simvastatin being more effective than atorvastatin) remained consistent. The presence of predictive factors should be considered in planning lipid-altering therapy.