Conclusions Ezetimibe monotherapy ( 10 mg/day ) showed a small ( 7.06 % ) but statistically significant reduction in the plasma levels of Lp(a ) in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia .
According to current literature , this magnitude of reduction seems to have no clinical relevance .
Background and Aims Ezetimibe reduces plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) levels by up to 20 % .
However , its effect on plasma lipoprotein(a ) [ Lp(a ) ] concentrations in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia has not been defined .
Objective Therefore , we performed a systematic review and meta- analysis to assess this effect based on the available r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Ezetimibe Attenuates Atherosclerosis Associated with Lipid Reduction and Inflammation Inhibition
Background Ezetimibe , as a cholesterol absorption inhibitor , has been shown protecting against atherosclerosis when combined with statin . However , side by side comparison has not been made to evaluate the beneficial effects of ezetimibe alone versus statin . Herein , the study aim ed to test whether ezetimibe alone would exhibit similar effects as statin and the combination therapy would be necessary in a moderate lesion size . Methods and Results ApoE-/- male mice that were fed a saturated-fat supplemented diet were r and omly assigned to different therapeutic regimens : vehicle , ezetimibe alone ( 10 mg/kg/day ) , atorvastatin ( 20 mg/kg/day ) or combination of ezetimibe and atorvastatin through the drinking water . On 28 days , mice were sacrificed and aorta and sera were collected to analyze the atherosclerotic lesion and blood lipid and cholesterol levels . As a result , ezetimibe alone exerted similar protective effects on atherosclerotic lesion sizes as atorvastatin , which was mediated by lowering serum cholesterol concentrations , inhibiting macrophage accumulation in the lesions and reducing circulatory inflammatory cytokines , such as monocyte chemoattractant protein ( MCP-1 ) and tumor necrosis factor ( TNF-α ) . In contrast to ezetimibe administration , atorvastatin alone attenuated atherosclerotic lesion which is dependent on its anti-inflammation effects . There were no significance differences in lesion areas and serum concentrations of cholesterol , oxidized LDL and inflammatory cytokines between combination therapy and monotherapy ( either ezetimibe or atorvastatin ) . There were significant correlations between the lesion areas and serum concentrations of cholesterol , MCP-1 and TNF-α , respectively . However , there were no significant correlations between the lesion areas and serum concentrations of TGF-β1 and oxLDL . Conclusions Ezetimibe alone played the same protection against a moderate atherosclerotic lesion as atorvastatin , which was associated with lowering serum cholesterol , decreasing circulating inflammatory cytokines , and inhibiting macrophage accumulation in the lesions
Conclusions Ezetimibe monotherapy ( 10 mg/day ) showed a small ( 7.06 % ) but statistically significant reduction in the plasma levels of Lp(a ) in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia .
According to current literature , this magnitude of reduction seems to have no clinical relevance .
Background and Aims Ezetimibe reduces plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) levels by up to 20 % .
However , its effect on plasma lipoprotein(a ) [ Lp(a ) ] concentrations in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia has not been defined .
Objective Therefore , we performed a systematic review and meta- analysis to assess this effect based on the available r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) .