Clinical response to probucol in hypercholesterolemia: peculiar sensitivity of different subpopulations

The effectiveness of probucol therapy in group of 140 hypercholesterolemic patients who had been treated with probucol for at least six months, up to two years, was investigated in this study. The responses, in terms of individual percentage reduction of plasma LDL-C levels, have been evaluated trying to assess the sensitivity of specific subgroups of patients and their response to treatment. Clinical data and plasma lipid/lipoprotein levels were determined at baseline, at the sixth month and then at the end of 2 years. To identify and characterize subpopulation showing different sensitivity to the probucol treatment, the effectiveness of probucol therapy was related to the sex hormonal status and major lipid or non lipid parameters. Response to probucol was evaluated after stratification of patients by sex, tertiles of HDL-C levels (at baseline) and pre-/post-menopausal status in women. After six months plasma LDL-C levels was reduced of 7.0%. Stratifying patients into tertiles of HDL-C levels, the LDL-C response after six months of treatment was about 8.30% in the higher tertile group, vs a 6.5% of the lower. However in all patients who have been treated and followed for 2 years, the maximum LDL-C reduction was achieved at the end of the second year (11.6%)