Effects of combination therapy with rosuvastatin and fenofibric acid in patients with mixed dyslipidemia and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (≥2 mg/L)

BackgroundElevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) correlate with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. Combination therapy with a statin and a fibrate may be more effective than statin monotherapy for reducing hsCRP, especially in patients with mixed dyslipidemia.ObjectiveTo characterize the treatment effects of rosuvastatin and fenofibric acid combination therapy compared with individual monotherapies in mixed dyslipidemic patients with baseline hsCRP ≥2 mg/L versus <2 mg/L and to determine the effects of long-term treatment with rosuvastatin and fenofibric acid combination therapy on hsCRP and other lipids for patients with hsCRP ≥2 mg/L after treatment with rosuvastatin monotherapy.MethodsData for the post hoc analysis were derived from two 12-week controlled studies and a 52-week extension study. Patients were treated with fenofibric acid 135 mg; rosuvastatin 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg; or rosuvastatin 5, 10, or 20 mg and fenofibric acid 135 mg in the controlled studies; and with rosuvastatin 20 mg and fenofibric acid 135 mg in the extension study.ResultsIn this analysis, 65% (1416/2182) of patients had pretreatment baseline hsCRP ≥2 mg/L. Among all treatment groups, larger decreases in hsCRP were observed in patients with greater baseline hsCRP; however, improvements in other lipids/apolipoprotein were comparable between the baseline hsCRP categories. Among patients with high hsCRP (≥2 mg/L) remaining after 12 weeks of rosuvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg monotherapy, hsCRP was reduced by ∼36% after switching to rosuvastatin 20 mg and fenofibric acid 135 mg for up to 52 weeks, and ∼36% of patients shifted from hsCRP ≥2 mg/L to <2 mg/L.ConclusionsCombination therapy with rosuvastatin and fenofibric acid may be effective for improving the inflammatory biomarker, hsCRP as well as other lipid abnormalities in patients with mixed dyslipidemia and high hsCRP.