Effects of fenofibrate on plasma lipids. Double-blind, multicenter study in patients with Type IIA or IIB hyperlipidemia

Of 240 patients with Type IIa and IIb hypercholesterolemia recruited in 11 centers, 227 were randomized to double-blind treatment with either fenofibrate (100 mg three times daily) or matching placebo for 24 weeks. A group of 192 of these patients was studied for a further 24 weeks during which all received fenofibrate in open label fashion. For the 92 Type IIa patients receiving fenofibrate in the double-blind phase, there were significant reductions (p < 0.01 compared to baseline) in total plasma cholesterol (-18%), LDL-cholesterol (-20%), VLDL-cholesterol (-38%) and total triglycerides (-38%). Mean plasma HDL-cholesterol in these patients increased by 11% (p < 0.01). With the exception of LDL, which was not high before treatment, similar changes were seen in the 24 fenofibrate-treated Type IIb subjects. Lipid parameters of placebo-treated patients did not change significantly. This pattern of change was repeated in the open period for the 94 patients previously on placebo, while the 98 who had been on fenofibrate remained stable with small further reductions in total and LDL cholesterol (-3.8% and -5.5% respectively). Adverse effects were some allergic-type skin reactions early in treatment and an occasional increase in transaminases, BUN, or creatinine. The results were similar to those obtained in European open trials of fenofibrate and were better than the lipid changes seen at comparable times in the Lipid Research Clinics Coronary Primary Prevention Trial (LRC-CPPT) cholestyramine study.