Fluvastatin increases LDL particle size and reduces oxidative stress in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Abstract

The effects of fluvastatin on levels of urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (iPF2alphaIII), a marker of oxidative stress, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size in serum were investigated in patients with hypercholesterolemia. After 6 months of fluvastatin therapy, levels of urinary iPF2alphaIII decreased from 1720.1 +/- 392.0 to 539.6 +/- 75.5 pg/mg (p < 0.01), and LDL particle size increased from 24.3 +/- 0.3 to 26.5 +/- 0.2 nm (p < 0.001). These changes from the treatment of fluvastatin were not correlated with those of the serum LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The results imply that fluvastatin, with its unique antioxidant property among statins, reduces oxidative stress and increases LDL particle size simultaneously in hyperlipidemic patients.