Reduction of hyperlipidemia with 3-sn-polyenyl-phosphatidylcholine in dialysis patients.

: Hyperlipidemia is of particular concern in dialysis patients due to the high incidence of ischemic cardiovascular complications. Two groups of 10 patients with at least one year of dialysis and a residual glomerular filtration rate less than 1 ml/min, serum cholesterol greater than 260 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol greater than 180 mg/dl and triglycerides greater than 200 mg/dl were admitted to the study. The patients received either 3 x 450 mg 3-sn-polyenyl-phosphatidylcholine (PPC) mornings and evenings (2.7 g daily, 6 capsules) or placebo during the double-blind, randomized study. Six weeks treatment was followed by a two-week wash-out phase. Lipid parameters including total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol were determined 14 days before treatment, at treatment begin, at 2, 4 and 6 weeks during treatment and 14 days after treatment cessation. PPC caused a significant decrease in total cholesterol (-37.8 mg/dl) two weeks after treatment begin (2 p less than 0.001). This decrease remained constant during the duration of treatment. Two weeks after PPC application a decrease in LDL-cholesterol had occurred (-32.0 mg/dl) (2 p less than 0.01) as compared to stable placebo values. Significant PPC induced decreases in triglycerides occurred four (-58.2 mg/dl; 2 p less than 0.001) and six weeks (-43.3 mg/dl; 2 p less than 0.01) after initiation of treatment, as compared to the placebo group (four weeks: +5.7 mg/dl and six weeks: -11.4 mg/dl). Side effects in the PPC group were equivalent to those reported in the placebo group. This study shows that PPC is an effective antihyperlipidemic agent in dialysis patients.