A cross-over controlled study on beclobrate versus bezafibrate in the treatment of type IIb hyperlipoproteinaemia

The effects of the new fibric acid derivative beclobrate (100 mg) on some plasma lipidic and apoproteic parameters in 20 patients with type IIb hyperlipoproteinaemia were matched in a randomized cross-over study to a sustained release formulation of bezafibrate (400 mg). Inclusion criteria were: total cholesterol (TC) plasma levels greater than 260 mg/dl and triglyceride (TG) levels greater than 200 mg/dl, after a 2-month period of isocaloric diet. The drugs were administered once a day for 8 weeks, and then crossed-over after 8 weeks of wash-out for another 8 week period of treatment. Both drugs were significantly effective in reducing TC and TG, and in increasing HDL-C plasma levels, but only beclobrate significantly decreased Apo B and LDL-C whereas bezafibrate seemed to be more active in increasing HDL-C levels. The electrophoretic pattern of LP in patients treated with beclobrate revealed a decrease of VLDL, a normalization of the LDL fraction and an increase of HDL. The tolerability was generally good.