In the subgroup of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis  , ursodeoxycholic acid  reduced total cholesterol ( WMD : − 29.86 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -47.39 , − 12.33 , p = 0.001 ) and LDL-C ( WMD : -37.27 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -54.16 , − 20.38 , p < 0.001 ) concentrations without affecting TG and HDL-C. Conclusion This meta- analysis suggests that ursodeoxycholic acid therapy might be associated with significant total cholesterol lowering particularly in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Objective The aim of this meta- analysis of r and omized placebo-controlled trials was to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is an effective lipid-lowering agent .
NUtraceutical TReatment for hYpercholesterolemia in HIV-infected patients: The NU-TRY(HIV) randomized cross-over trial.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Despite hypercholesterolemia has been recognized to increase cardiovascular risk in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients , cholesterol-lowering therapy is underused in this population , due to fear of drug-drug interactions with antiretroviral therapy ( ART ) . We investigated the effects of a nutraceutical combination ( NC ) on lipid profile , proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ( PCSK9 ) , sub clinical inflammation and arterial stiffness in ART-treated HIV-infected patients . METHODS This was a prospect i ve r and omized open-label trial with a cross-over design including 30 stable HIV-infected patients on ART with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) > 115 mg/dL , not taking lipid-lowering treatment . After a 3-week lipid stabilization period , the effects associated with 3 months of an oral NC containing red yeast rice and berberine vs. no active treatment ( noNC ) were assessed for plasma total cholesterol ( TC ) , LDL-C , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) , triglyceride ( TG ) , lipoprotein(a ) , PCSK9 , high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) levels and aortic pulse wave velocity ( aPWV ) . RESULTS At baseline , significant correlations between PCSK9 levels , age ( rho = -0.51 , p=0.004 ) , waist circumference ( rho = 0.36 , p=0.005 ) and CD4 + cell count ( rho = -0.40 , p=0.027 ) were observed . NC treatment effects corrected for noNC were significant for TC ( -14 % , p<0.001 ) , LDL-C ( -19 % , p<0.001 ) , PCSK9 ( -12 % , p=0.02 ) , hs-CRP ( -14 % , p=0.03 ) and aPWV ( -6 % , p=0.005 ) . No significant effects were observed for HDL-C , TG and lipoprotein(a ) . NC treatment was safe and no significant alterations in muscle , liver and immunovirological parameters were observed . No carry over effect was recorded . CONCLUSIONS The tested NC significantly reduced plasma cholesterol and PCSK9 levels , attenuated sub clinical inflammation and improved arterial stiffness in stable HIV-infected patients on ART
In the subgroup of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis  , ursodeoxycholic acid  reduced total cholesterol ( WMD : − 29.86 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -47.39 , − 12.33 , p = 0.001 ) and LDL-C ( WMD : -37.27 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -54.16 , − 20.38 , p < 0.001 ) concentrations without affecting TG and HDL-C. Conclusion This meta- analysis suggests that ursodeoxycholic acid therapy might be associated with significant total cholesterol lowering particularly in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Objective The aim of this meta- analysis of r and omized placebo-controlled trials was to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is an effective lipid-lowering agent .