The effect of fenofibrate on the levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in dyslipidemic obese patients

It is now well documented that obesity is associated with a chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation and a mediator of atherothrombotic disease, have been shown to correlate with cardiovascular disease risk. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of fenofibrate on the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in dyslipidemic obese patients. We selected 30 dyslipidemic obese patients (body mass index greater than or equal to 30 kg/m(2)) and 20 normolipidemic, nonobese healthy subjects. Dyslipidemic obese patients were treated with fenofibrate 200 mg/day for 3 months. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and metabolic parameters were evaluated at baseline in both groups and after fenofibrate treatment in dyslipidemic obese patients. At baseline, significantly higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were found in dyslipidemic obese patients than normal subjects (0.58 +/- 0.3 vs 0.14 +/- 0.1 mg/dL, P < 0.01). Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride decreased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively), and levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased (P < 0.05) after treatment with fenofibrate in the dyslipidemic obese group. Levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein decreased significantly (approximately 74.1%) after fenofibrate treatment from a mean of 0.58 +/- 0.3 mg/dL to 0.15 +/- 0.2 mg/dL, P < 0.01. Our findings suggest that fenofibrate may be used as a first-line therapy for improving the plasma lipids profile, as well as the chronic low-grade inflammatory state in dyslipidemia and obesity.