Effect of hypolipidemic treatment on glycemic profile in patients with mixed dyslipidemia

Abstract

To assess the effect of different hypolipidemic treatment strategies on glycemic profile in mixed dyslipidemia patients. This is a prespecified analysis of a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded end point (PROBE) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01010516). Patients (n = 100) with mixed dyslipidemia on a standard statin dose who had not achieved lipid targets were randomized to switch to the highest dose of rosuvastatin (40 mg/d) or to add-on-statin extended release nicotinic acid (ER-NA)/laropiprant (LRPT) or to add-on-statin micronised fenofibrate for a total of 3 mo. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index and lipid profile were evaluated at baseline and 3 mo after treatment intervention. FPG increased in add-on ER-NA/LRPT and rosuvastatin monotherapy groups by 9.7% and 4.4%, respectively (P < 0.01 between the 2 groups and compared with baseline), while it did not significantly change in the add-on fenofibrate group. Similarly, HbA1c increased by 0.3% in add-on ER-NA/LRPT group and by 0.2% in the rosuvastatin monotherapy group (P < 0.01 for all comparisons vs baseline and for the comparison between the 2 groups), while no significant change was reported in the add-on fenofibrate group. HOMA-IR increased by 65% in add-on ER-NA/LRPT and by 14% in rosuvastatin monotherapy group, while it decreased by 6% in the add-on fenofibrate group (P < 0.01 vs baseline and for all comparisons among the groups). Non-HDL-C decreased in all groups (by 23.7%, 24.7% and 7% in the rosuvastatin, ER-NA/LRPT and fenofibrate group, respectively, P < 0.01 for all vs baseline and P < 0.01 for all vs with fenofibrate group). Both addition of ER-NA/LRPT and switch to the highest dose of rosuvastatin deteriorated glycemic profile in patients with mixed dyslipidemia, while add-on fenofibrate seems to increase insulin sensitivity.