Diet only and diet plus simvastatin in the treatment of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in childhood
Stefanutti, C.; Lucani, G.; Vivenzio, A.; Di Giacomo, S.
Drugs under Experimental and Clinical Research 25(1): 23-28
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0378-6501 PMID: 10337501 Document Number: 501543
7 boys and 9 girls with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia were treated with a hypocholesterolaemic diet only, or with diet plus simvastatin (10 mg/day) in a 1-year clinical trial. The children were submitted to a 3-month washout (free diet). They were then given a diet (American Heart Association, step 2) for 6 months, after which they were divided into 2 groups matched for sex, age and body mass index. Diet only was given to group A (n=8) and simvastatin (10 mg/day) was given to group B, for 1 year. Children were examined at baseline and monitored for safety during the study by pediatricians. They were also submitted to noninvasive cardiovascular examinations (exercise electrocardiogram, echocardiography). After 12 months total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-cholesterol (LDLC) were significantly reduced in group B. The decrease of TC and LDLC in children on diet only was 4 and 3, and 17 and 4% after 6 and 12 months, respectively. It is concluded that diet alone was not effective but administration of low-dose simvastatin for 1 year may be useful in lowering LDLC.