Effect of bezafibrate on the high-density lipoprotein subfractions HDL2 and HDL3 in primary hyperlipoproteinemia type IV.

The effect of a six-month treatment with bezafibrate on HDL2 and HDL3, measured as cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I, was studied in 10 hypertriglyceridemic patients. The significant increase of total HDL-cholesterol and HDL-apolipoprotien A-I was due to an increase of HDL2-cholesterol and HDL2-apolipoprotein A-I. The lowered ratio of cholesterol to apolipoprotein A-I in HDL, HDL2, and HDL3 remained unaltered. It is concluded that bezafibrate raises the possibly antiatherogenic HDL2, whereas the disturbed cholesterol/apolipoprotein A-I ratio is not changed.