Characteristics of lipid-lowering effects of pitavastatin according to a survey in Japan

Objectives: We examined the clinical characteristics of the efficacy of pitavastatin in connection with gender, age and low density lipoprotein (LDL) size. Patients and Methods: A total of 112 patients were analyzed: 61 de navo patients with hyperlipidemia and 51 patients with insufficient treatment of hyperlipidemia with another statin. Pitavastatin was administered at 1-4 mg a day depending on serum lipid levels. Results: In the 61 de novo patients, pitavastatin decreased total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 29.7 and 42.3%, respectively, without any adverse effects (TC, from 250.5 ± 37.0 to 174.8 ± 26.6 mg/dL; LDL-C, from 155.4 ± 39.8 to 87.4 ± 23.3 mg/dL). The lipid-lowering effects were not different between men and women and were observed throughout all age groups. In patients with insufficient treatment of hyperlipidemia with another statin, replacement with pitavastatin significantly decreased serum lipid levels (TC, from 230.3 ± 35.5 to 183.6 ± 21.6 mg/dL; LDL-C, from 138.4 ± 36.8 to 99.4 ± 27.2 mg/dL). Pitavastatin significantly increased LDL particle size by approximately 1% in both de novo patients and patients with pitavastatin replacement. Conclusions: The present study revealed that pitavastatin has potent lipid-lowering effects without gender and age-group differences, and significantly increased LDL particle size.