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Biomedical subjects

G Girardot

Publications and source records attributed to G Girardot.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of gemfibrozil on the concentration and composition of very low density and low density lipoprotein subfractions in hypertriglyceridemic patients.

The effect of gemfibrozil treatment on very low (VLDL) and low (LDL) density lipoprotein subfractions has been investigated in 9 moderate hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) patients (triglyceride (TG) levels 237-426 mg/dl). Three VLDL subfractions, VLDL1 (Sf 175-400), VLDL2 (Sf 100-175) and VLDL3 (Sf 20-100) and 4 LDL subspecies, LDL1 (1.023-1.028 g/ml), LDL2 (1.029-1.037 g/ml), LDL3 (1.038-1.049 g/ml) and LDL4 (1.050-1.062 g/ml) were prepared by density gradient ultracentrifugation. High density lipoprotein (HDL) chemical composition and lipolytic activities after heparin injection were also determined. Gemfibrozil induced a net decrease in VLDL1 and VLDL2 concentrations (P < 0.01). Cholesteryl ester (CE) weight percent was significantly reduced in both VLDL1 and VLDL2 subfractions. VLDL3 concentration and composition were not changed by the treatment. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was reduced in HTG patients (P < 0.05). After treatment, LPL activity increased (P < 0.05) but remained lower than in control, normotriglyceridemic (NTG) subjects. Furthermore, gemfibrozil increased HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05) and normalised the elevated HDL2 and HDL3 TG content. The increase of LDL cholesterol, often observed after gemfibrozil treatment, was due to a rise in the LDL2 subfraction (1.029 < d < 1.037 g/ml), the main fraction present in control subjects. However, despite the significant decrease of total plasma TG (329 mg/dl vs. 174 mg/dl), LDL3 subfraction (1.038 < d < 1.049 g/ml) was not reduced.

Adult↗

Mechanism of the gemfibrozil-induced decrease in the transfer of cholesterol esters from high density lipoproteins to very low and low density lipoproteins.

To better understand the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on the transfer of esterified cholesterol (EC) between lipoproteins, we investigated the changes induced by gemfibrozil administration on the unidirectional transfer of radiolabeled EC from high density lipoproteins (HDL) to very low (VLDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) in 10 normolipidemic subjects. HDL, VLDL/LDL, and the d > 1.21 g/ml fraction containing cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) were isolated from plasma before and after 8 weeks of gemfibrozil administration. The same fractionation procedure was applied to aliquots of a control plasma pool to permit different recombination experiments. When the CETP fractions of the subjects studied were incubated in the presence of control HDL and VLDL/LDL, no effect of gemfibrozil was observed on the rate of EC transfer, indicating that the drug did not induce any change in the plasma transfer activity. When HDL of the subjects studied were recombined with the CETP fraction and VLDL/LDL isolated from the control plasma pool, the rate of EC transfer was decreased by 43% after gemfibrozil administration. Thus, the drug induced a decrease in the HDL-dependent transfer of EC. This effect was accompanied by a decrease of the triglyceride (TG)/EC ratio in HDL, a decrease of the Stokes radius of large HDL determined after gradient gel electrophoresis, and an increase of the HDL viscosity. Since both HDL size and viscosity are in part dependent upon their TG/EC ratio, further investigations will be necessary to answer the question as to whether one of these structural criteria is predominant for the regulation of the HDL-dependent transfer of EC.

Adult↗

[Evaluation of acquired data on long-term risk of hypolipidemic treatments].

At present, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to draw reliable conclusions about the long-term risks of lipid lowering therapy. Many so-called "long-term" trials only cover a few years of treatment, comparative studies versus placebo are very rare and the notification of acute events in the context of pharmacovigilance does not provide information about the long-term risk. However, analysis of large scale primary or secondary prevention trials, the Lipid Research Clinics study with cholestyramine, the Helsinki cardiological study with gemfibrozil, the Coronary Drug Project with clofibrate and nicotinic acid, has not shown any significant differences between the treatment and control groups, in particular with regards to the prevalence of malignant disease. These reassuring observations contradict those of the WHO study with clofibrate: a significant increase in the incidence of cancer, especially gastrointestinal, is observed in the treatment group. Therefore, despite the absence of confirmed long-term clinical or biological adverse effects of lipid lowering drugs (apart from the WHO clofibrate study), the physician must remain vigilant, especially as the long-term risks are difficult to assess.

Clofibrate↗