• Harold E Bays, Arvind Shah, Jianxin Lin, Christine McCrary Sisk, Qian Dong, and Darbie Maccubbin.
• L-MARC Research Center, Louisville, KY 40213, USA. hbaysmd@aol.com
• Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2012 Jun 1; 12 (3): 197-206.

BackgroundAccording to prior analyses, extended-release niacin/laropiprant (ERN/LRPT) consistently reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) and increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels across a wide range of dyslipidemic patient subgroups.ObjectivesThis analysis examined ERN/LRPT's consistency across four phase III, randomized, double-blind trials in improving other lipid/lipoprotein parameters associated with cardiovascular risk, across several key dyslipidemic patient subgroups.MethodsIn three of the studies, the randomized population included patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed hyperlipidemia; in the remaining study, the population included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The lipid-altering consistency of ERN/LRPT's efficacy was evaluated versus the pre-defined comparator (placebo or active control) among key subgroups of sex, race (White, non-White), region (US, ex-US), baseline age (<65 years, ≥65 years), use of statin therapy (yes, no), coronary heart disease (yes, no), risk status (low, multiple, high), and type of hyperlipidemia (primary hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia), as well as across baseline LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG levels. The consistency of the treatment effects on lipoprotein(a).[Lp(a)], apolipoprotein B (ApoB), non-HDL-C, ApoA1, and ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was evaluated by examining treatment difference estimates of the percentage change from baseline with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsTreatment with ERN/LRPT produced significantly greater improvements in Lp(a), ApoB, non-HDL-C, ApoA1, and ApoB/ApoA1 ratio compared with placebo/active comparator in each study. These effects were generally consistent across key subgroups within each study.ConclusionERN/LRPT produced lipid-altering efficacy on the parameters evaluated in four controlled studies; these effects were generally consistent across all examined subgroups. ERN/LRPT represents an effective and reliable therapeutic option for the treatment of dyslipidemia in a wide range of patient types.Clinical Trial RegistrationRegistered as Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00269204, NCT00269217, NCT00479388, and NCT00485758.

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