VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT BLOCKS THE RESPONSE OF HDL TO LOVASTATIN THERAPY IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC PATIENTS

HDL can prevent LDL-c oxidation. The low HDL-c state also may benefit clinically from supplemented antioxidant. This study was designed to evaluate the combination therapy of Statin and vitamin E in hypercholesterolemic patients. The patients were randomized in a clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin E and/or Statin. The life style of patients didn’t alter during intervention. The subjects were randomized to two treatment groups A and B: (1) lovastatin 20 mg daily at bedtime (group A); (2) vitamin E 400 IU daily plus lovastatin 20 mg daily (group B). The lipid values of each patient at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment were compared by paired t test. The mean baseline lipid levels for 60 subjects were as follows: plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-c and HDL-c 285 ± 68, 268 ± 121, 158 ± 32, 49 ± 11 mg/dl respectively. Serum lipid levels changes in group A (statin only) and in group B (statin and vitamin E) were statistically significant. In comparison of lipid profiles changes between two groups we observed that HDL-c changes in group B were significantly lower than in group A. Vitamin E supplement blocks the response of HDL-c to lovastatin therapy in hypercholesterolemic patients.