A randomized, double-blind comparison of cerivastatin and lovastatin for treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia.

Background: The efficacy and safety of the new statin, cerivastatin, in the Chinese patients with primary hypercholesterolemia remains to be determined.
Methods: In this prospective, double-blind, parallel-group study, patients with primary hypercholesterolemia were randomized to treatment with cerivastatin, 0.3 mg (n = 21) or lovastatin, 20 mg (n = 22), for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was percentage change of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from baseline. The secondary efficacy variables were percentage change of total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. RESULTS.:Both cerivastatin and lovastatin effectively reduced LDL cholesterol (-33.2% vs. -29.3%, p = 0.63), total cholesterol (-25% vs. -20%, p = 0.10), and triglycerides (-21% vs. -14%,p = 0.27) (all p < 0.0001 for comparison with baseline), and slight increased HDL cholesterol (+2% vs. +8%, p = 0.008) over the 8-week treatment period. The LDL cholesterol responsive rates according to the recommendations from the National Cholesterol Educational Panel (NCEP) were 43% and 32% for cerivastatin and lovastatin, respectively. The adverse event profiles of cerivastatin and lovastatin were similar.
Conclusions: Cerivastatin 0.3 mg once daily is as effective and safe as lovastatin 20 mg once daily in lowering LDL and total cholesterol in Chinese patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.