The effects of ezetimibe and/or orlistat on triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism in obese hypercholesterolemic patients.

We investigated the factors influencing triglycerides (TG) reduction during ezetimibe, alone or combined with orlistat, administration. Eighty-six obese hypercholesterolemic subjects were prescribed a low-fat diet and were randomized to ezetimibe (E group), orlistat (O group), or both (OE group) for 6 months. Plasma TG and apolipoprotein (apo) C-III reduction was significantly greater in the combination group compared with monotherapy. Multivariate analysis showed that in E group apoC-III reduction and baseline TG levels were independently positively correlated, whereas baseline apoC-II levels were negatively correlated, with TG lowering. In OE group apoC-III reduction was the only independent contributor to TG reduction.