[Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha in serum of patients with hyperlipoproteinemia IIB before and after micronized fenofibrate therapy].

UNLABELLED: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) secreted by activated macrophages stimulates proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle in atherogenesis. Up to now, the effect of fibrates on concentration of TNF-alpha has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to estimate TNF-alpha plasma concentration in healthy subjects before and after fenofibrate therapy in patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia IIb and to correlate their levels with plasma concentration of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoproteins (LDL) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB).

METHODS: 10 patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia IIb were treated with micronized fenofibrate (Lipanthyl 200 m-Fournier) for 1 month. Cytokines levels before and after therapy was measured by the ELISA method with Genzyme kits.

RESULTS: The levels of lipid parameters at the onset study were as follows: TC: 265.4 +/- 9.4 mg%, TG: 344 +/- 53 mg%, LDL: 167.2 +/- 4.7 mg%, and ApoB: 1.62 +/- 0.05 g/l. After 1-month therapy with Lipanthyl 200 m the parameters decreased: TC 206 +/- 16 mg% (p < 0.05), TG: 194 +/- 30 mg% (p < 0.05), ApoB: 1.43 +/- 0.04 g/l (p < 0.01), and LDL: 144.4 +/- 12.9 mg% (ns). The decreased level of TC, TG and LDL correlated with the decreased concentration of TNF alpha. Before treatment the TNF concentration was 19.2 +/- 1.6 pg/ml and was higher than the concentration of control subjects (9.9 +/- 1.1 pg/ml, p < 0.01). After 1-month therapy the level of TNF alpha in blood from patient was 9.2 +/- 1.0 pg/ml (p < 0.01). The results of this study indicate that the concentrations of TNF alpha in plasma from hyperlipidemic patients are higher than concentrations of healthy subjects. Fenofibrate decreased the levels of this cytokine. This effect may be of significance for the treatment of HLPIIb and of atherosclerosis prevention.