Thyroid hormone analogues to treat dyslipidemia

Abstract

Evaluation of: Ladenson PW, Kristensen JD, Ridgway EC et al.: Use of the thyroid hormone analogue eprotirome in statin-treated dyslipidemia. N. Engl. J. Med. 362, 906–916 (2010). Dyslipidemia increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and is incompletely reversed by statin therapy in many patients. In this randomized, placebo‑controlled, double‑blind, multicenter Phase II clinical trial, compelling evidence is presented that the therapy of hypercholesterolemia with the thyromimetic compound, eprotirome, is both safe and effective. When used in adjunction with ongoing statin therapy, the thyroid hormone analogue, eprotirome, led to a further significant, dose-dependent reduction of LDL-C levels by 22–32% from baseline. Similar reductions were observed for levels of ApoB and triglycerides. Thus, statins and thyromimetics appear to have synergistic effects in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. The untoward effects of thyromimetics were mild and will be under close scrutiny, as thyromimetics will soon be on trial to prove that their long‑term use can also reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in upcoming Phase III clinical trials.