Endocrine Abstracts

Purposes: To investigate effects of combination therapy with fenofibrate and α-lipoic acid (ALA) on atherogenic dyslipidemia, which determines the residual vascular risk and endothelial dysfunction, levels of proinflammatory mediators in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: We examined 42 patients with IHD and T2DM (19 males, age 60.5±4.7 years). Baseline characteristics of patients included history of IHD (7.2±2.3 years), T2DM (4.7±0.5 years). The level of HbA1c was less than 7.5%. All patients were divided into 2 groups: the 1st (n=22) - received the standard therapy, the 2nd (n=20) in the standard therapy received combination of fenofibrate 145 mg once daily with ALA 600 mg once daily. In all patients were determined the levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) by enzymatic colorymetric method, and proinflammatory mediators (TNF-α, hsCRP) by ELISA method at baseline and in 6 months.

Results: As compared with baseline, combination therapy with fenofibrate and ALA substantially lowered plasma levels of TNF-α by 7±2% (P<0.05) and hsCRP from 1.58±0.19 to 0.98±0.17 pg/ml (P<0.05) compared to the 1st group. Furthermore, combination therapy increased plasma levels of HDL on 12% (0.13 mmol/L), decreased total cholesterol, LDL and TG levels on 7%, 9% and 12% respectively (all P<0.001).

Conclusions: Combination therapy with fenofibrate and α-lipoic acid significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL, and TG, proinflammatory mediators, increased HDL and as a result reducing residual vascular risk in patients with IHD and T2DM.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.