CHANGES INDUCED BY PRAVASTATIN TREATMENT ON HEMOSTATIC AND FIBRINOLYTIC PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE IIB HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA

A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study of pravastatin versus placebo was carried out for 24 weeks in 20 patients with type IIb primary hyperlipoproteinemia. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, blood glucose, apolipoproteins (apo) A1 and B, and lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) levels were determined. A venous occlusion test was also performed in all patients. Pre- and postvenous occlusion tests were determined: tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA[Ag]), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity, factor VII, fibrinogen, plasminogen, and hematocrit. Compared with placebo, pravastatin significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apo B, and triglyceride levels, as well as significantly increased HDL cholesterol and apo A1 levels. A mild, statistically nonsignificant reduction in Lp(a) was observed in the patients treated with pravastatin. Compared with placebo, pravastatin significantly reduced factor VII, fibrinogen, plasminogen, and PAI activity levels before and after venous occlusion. A significant reduction of t-PA(Ag) at rest was found in patients treated with pravastatin, whereas there was no significant difference in t-PA(Ag) levels after venous occlusion. Our data confirm the well-known lipid-regulating effect of pravastatin and suggest a positive effect of pravastatin on the regulation of hemostatic and fibrinolytic systems in patients with type IIb hyperlipoproteinemia.