Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of rosuvastatin 2.5 mg, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, on achieving lipid goals defined by the 2007 Japan Atherosclerosis Society guidelines. Subjects and Methods: Thirty-seven patients with moderate to high risk hypercholesterolemia (Mean age: 64.8 ± 8.4) were treated with 2.5 mg/day of rosuvastatin and their lipid and hepatic function parameters were measured at the baseline and at Weeks 4 and 8. Results: At 4 and 8 weeks after start of treatment, 74.1% and 92.6% of moderate risk patients, as well as 70% and 80% of high risk patients, achieved their LDL-C goals, respectively. In both moderate and high risk patients, the mean LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, which is considered as a prospective index for plaque regression, was significantly reduced (p<0.001 for both the moderate and high risk groups), and the mean LDL-C/HDL-C ratio decreased to less than 2 in moderate risk patients. No abnormal changes were observed in hepatic function tests during the study. Conclusion: More than 80% of moderate to high risk patients with hypercholesterolemia achieved their lipid goals and the mean LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was significantly reduced after the 8-week short treatment of rosuvastatin 2.5 mg, suggesting the clinical possibility of continuous use of rosuvastatin for plaque regression.
Carbon ion ; Risk ; Lipids ; Low density lipoprotein cholesterol measurement ; High density lipoprotein measurement

;Small, dense low density lipoprotein (LDL) has been suggested to be highly atherogenic as a result of their low-binding affinity to LDL receptors, their prolonged plasma half-life and low resistance to oxidative stress. Although marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have beneficial effects for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, there is little information on detailed fatty acid composition in LDL particles. In the present study, LDL subfractions were isolated from the plasma of 45 clinically healthy Japanese women by density gradient ultracentrifugation using a light fraction of 1.025-1.034 g/ml (LDL-I), an intermediate fraction of 1.034-1.044 g/ml (LDL-II), and a dense fraction of 1.044-1.060 g/ml (LDL-III). A clear relationship between the frequency of fish intake and increases in plasma n-3 PUFAs was apparent. Although plasma n-3 PUFAs in women with small-sized LDL using non-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (GGE) did not show a significant difference, n-3 PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs/n-6 PUFAs in dense LDL-III subfraction increased in the small-sized LDL group using GGE, compared to those with buoyant LDL particles. The result of enriched n-3 PUFAs in dense LDL subfraction suggests that n-3 PUFAs may help prevent atherosclerosis in the arteries of Japanese women with small-sized LDL.
Low density lipoprotein cholesterol measurement ; Lower case en ; Human Females ; Japanese language ; Plasma

The traditional Japanese diet with its high intake of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants is believed to effectively ward off cardiovascular disease. Oxidative stress, related to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species produced by aerobic organisms, is responsible for the pathogenesis of most chronic diseases. Oxidative low density lipoprotein (LDL) is thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of early atherosclerosis. There has been increasing interest in antioxidant substances derived from edible plants. It has been suggested that the measurement of LDL antioxidant activity is physiopathologically more important and informative for screening antioxidant activity to prevent atherosclerosis than other methods. We assessed by LDL oxidation assay the antioxidant characteristics of various edible plants from rural areas. The mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf showed comparatively high antioxidant activity. We identified the antioxidant compounds and investigated compound levels in the mulberry leaf and found the antioxidant activity of mulberry leaves to be mainly attributable to quercetin 3-(6-malonylglucoside) (Q3MG). Dietary consumption of mulberry leaves and/or Q3MG may enhance resistance to oxidative modification of LDL and attenuated atherosclerotic lesion development. However, the outcome of intervention trials suggested that a single antioxidant had little effect on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The synergic effect of certain combinations may determine outcome. We need to widen our understanding of the synergic effect of diets and nutrient-gene interactions related to nutrient/disease risk.
Antioxidants ; seconds ; Low density lipoprotein cholesterol measurement ; Pathogenesis ; Oxidative Dietary Supplements