Changes in serum lipoprotein pattern following bezafibrate. Differential effects in type IIa and in type IIb hyperlipoproteinemic patients

Abstract Sixteen type IIb and 26 type IIa hyperlipoproteinemic patients were treated with bezafibrate 200 mg t.i.d.. After 1 month VLDL-TG decreased by 54% in type IIb and by 43% in type IIa; LDL-C decreased by 13% in type IIb and by 23% in type IIa patients. HDL 3 -C rose in both group of patients, while HDL 2 -C significantly increased (52%) only in patients with phenotype IIb. The change in LDL-C and in HDL 2 -C concentrations resulted to be related to the pretreatment VLDL lipid concentration and to its change during the treatment. Twenty patients were treated with bezafibrate for 4 months. On the average, the changes in lipoprotein lipid concentration attained at the end of the first month of therapy remained substantially constant in the following 3 months.