The effect of rosuvastatin on low-density lipoprotein subfractions in patients with impaired fasting glucose.

BACKGROUND

Prediabetes substantially increases cardiovascular risk. We examined the effect of rosuvastatin on the quantity and quality of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with dyslipidemia having impaired fasting glucose (IFG) compared to normoglycemic patients with dyslipidemia.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study including patients with dyslipidemia and IFG (IFG group, n = 49) matched with normoglycemic patients with dyslipidemia (control group, n = 64). Study participants, following dietary intervention, were prescribed rosuvastatin 10 or 20 mg/d to achieve LDL-C goals. Baseline as well as 24 weeks posttreatment changes in the serum lipid profile were evaluated. Moreover, analysis of the LDL subfraction profile was conducted using a polyacrylamide tube gel electrophoresis method.

RESULTS

Similar effects were observed in lipid profile in both treatment groups. Patients with IFG experienced a greater decrease in the cholesterol concentration of small dense LDL particles (-65.7%, P < .001 vs baseline) compared to controls (-38.5%, P < .001 vs baseline; P = .018 vs patients with IFG). There was no significant difference in the changes of cholesterol concentration of large and buoyant LDL particles in the IFG group when compared to the control group. A greater increase in the mean LDL particle size (+1.5%, P < .001 vs baseline) was noted in the IFG group compared to the control group at 24 weeks (+0.4%, P = .028 vs baseline; P = .008 vs IFG group).

CONCLUSION

Targeting dyslipidemia with rosuvastatin was associated with more favorable changes in the LDL subfraction profile in patients with IFG compared to normoglycemic ones.