Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Title abbreviation: Adv Clin Exp Med
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Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

2019, vol. 28, nr 7, July, p. 931–936

doi: 10.17219/acem/94161

Publication type: original article

Language: English

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Effect of fenofibrate on serum nitric oxide levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia

Kerim Esenboga1,A,D,F, Ömer Faruk Çiçek2,C,F, Ahmet Afşin Oktay3,E,F, Pelin Aribal Ayral4,B,F, Adalet Gürlek5,E,F

1 Department of Cardiology, 29 Mayıs State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

2 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey

3 Department of Cardiology, University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, USA

4 Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey

5 Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey

Abstract

Background. Fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) agonist, is used to treat patients with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in order to reduce the risk of development of the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, it exerts pleiotropic effects beyond correcting atherogenic dyslipidemia to treat hypercholesterolemia.
Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of fenofibrate on endothelial function by analyzing the serum nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.
Material and Methods. Lipid profiles and serum NO levels were assessed in 56 healthy adults aged 29 to 84 years, before and after 12 weeks of fenofibrate (250 mg/d; n = 30) or placebo (n = 26). Appropriate dietary suggestions for hypertriglyceridemia were made for all patients. This study was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled in design.
Results. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglyceride levels significantly decreased; high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and NO levels significantly increased after 12 weeks of fenofibrate therapy. We observed a statistically significant correlation between the increase in serum NO levels and decrease in serum triglyceride levels (r = –0.42, p = 0.02) in the fenofibrate group.
Conclusion. The positive effect of short-term fenofibrate treatments on vascular endothelial functions in patients with hypertriglyceridemia has been demonstrated by increasing the serum NO levels. Agents such as fenofibrate targeting PPARα-associated signaling pathways show promise as an alternative treatment of vascular dysfunction related to advanced age and hyperlipidemia.

Key words

fibrate, hypertriglyceridemia, nitric oxide

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