TY - JOUR
T1 - The lipid-lowering effect of ezetimibe in pure vegetarians
AU - Clarenbach, Jacob J.
AU - Reber, Michael
AU - Lütjohann, Dieter
AU - Von Bergmann, Klaus
AU - Sudhop, Thomas
PY - 2006/12
Y1 - 2006/12
N2 - Results of previous studies have shown that ezetimibe (10 mg/day) reduces LDL cholesterol in patients with mild hypercholesterolemia on a normal-cholesterol diet (dietary intake of 200-500 mg/day) by 16-22%. However, the LDL cholesterol-lowering effect of ezetimibe in subjects with an extremely low dietary cholesterol intake (vegetarians) has not been studied. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-phase crossover study in 18 healthy pure vegetarians to assess the effect of ezetimibe (10 mg/day) on plasma lipids, cholesterol absorption, and its synthesis. Treatment periods lasted 2 weeks each, with an intervening 2 week washout period. Fractional cholesterol absorption was determined using the continuous dual stable isotope feeding method. Mean dietary cholesterol intake in the pure vegetarians was extremely low and averaged 29.4 ± 16.8 and 31.4 ± 14.4 mg/day during the placebo and ezetimibe administration phases, respectively. Fractional cholesterol absorption during the placebo phase was 48.2 ± 8.2% and was decreased by 58% during ezetimibe treatment to 20.2 ± 6.2% (P < 0.001). This change in intestinal cholesterol absorption was followed by a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol of 17.3%. In individuals with extremely low dietary cholesterol intake, treatment with ezetimibe (10 mg/day) leads to a significant reduction of cholesterol absorption and a clinically relevant decrease of plasma LDL cholesterol, comparable to that of subjects with a normal dietary cholesterol intake. Thus, the lipid-lowering effect of ezetimibe is mediated mainly through a reduction of the absorption of endogenous (biliary) cholesterol.
AB - Results of previous studies have shown that ezetimibe (10 mg/day) reduces LDL cholesterol in patients with mild hypercholesterolemia on a normal-cholesterol diet (dietary intake of 200-500 mg/day) by 16-22%. However, the LDL cholesterol-lowering effect of ezetimibe in subjects with an extremely low dietary cholesterol intake (vegetarians) has not been studied. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-phase crossover study in 18 healthy pure vegetarians to assess the effect of ezetimibe (10 mg/day) on plasma lipids, cholesterol absorption, and its synthesis. Treatment periods lasted 2 weeks each, with an intervening 2 week washout period. Fractional cholesterol absorption was determined using the continuous dual stable isotope feeding method. Mean dietary cholesterol intake in the pure vegetarians was extremely low and averaged 29.4 ± 16.8 and 31.4 ± 14.4 mg/day during the placebo and ezetimibe administration phases, respectively. Fractional cholesterol absorption during the placebo phase was 48.2 ± 8.2% and was decreased by 58% during ezetimibe treatment to 20.2 ± 6.2% (P < 0.001). This change in intestinal cholesterol absorption was followed by a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol of 17.3%. In individuals with extremely low dietary cholesterol intake, treatment with ezetimibe (10 mg/day) leads to a significant reduction of cholesterol absorption and a clinically relevant decrease of plasma LDL cholesterol, comparable to that of subjects with a normal dietary cholesterol intake. Thus, the lipid-lowering effect of ezetimibe is mediated mainly through a reduction of the absorption of endogenous (biliary) cholesterol.
KW - Campesterol
KW - Cholesterol absorption
KW - Cholesterol synthesis
KW - Lathosterol
KW - Sitosterol
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845578757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845578757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1194/jlr.P600009-JLR200
DO - 10.1194/jlr.P600009-JLR200
M3 - Article
C2 - 16966491
AN - SCOPUS:33845578757
VL - 47
SP - 2820
EP - 2824
JO - Journal of Lipid Research
JF - Journal of Lipid Research
SN - 0022-2275
IS - 12
ER -