Title

The effect of cholesterol lowering on carotid and femoral artery wall stiffness and thickness in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia .

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of cholesterol reduction on artery wall stiffness and intima media thickness in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Patients

45 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (mean age 46+10 years) with LDL>9 mmol/L.

Follow-up

1 year. Distensibility and compliance of the common carotid artery and common femoral artery were measured at baseline and after treatment .

Treatment regimen

Simvastatin, Atorvastatin 40-80 mg/day

Results

• Mean concentration of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced significantly by 43%, 51%
and 25% respectively, whereas HDL cholesterol increased by 13%.
• Distensibility and compliance of the common femoral artery increased significantly (distensibility increased from 7.9
± 3.0 to 9.1 ± 3.7 X 10-3 kPa-1; compliance increased from 0.5 ± 0.2 to 0.6 ± 0.3 mm2).
• Distensibility and compliance of the common carotid artery did not change.
• Intima media thickness of the common carotid artery decreased significantly in both men and women.

Conclusion

One year of cholesterol lowering therapy in familial hypercholesterolemia decreases the wall stiffness in the common femoral artery and the arterial wall thickness in the common carotid artery.