Long-term effect of low-density lipoprotein apheresis on plasma lipoproteins and coronary heart disease in native vessels and coronary bypass in severe heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is a potent treatment for patients with coronary heart disease and severe hereditary forms of LDL hypercholesterolemia not adequately responsive to drug treatment. Until now, the beneficial effect of aggressive reduction of LDL cholesterol by LDL apheresis on the course of coronary heart disease has been demonstrated in one 3-year study and several studies lasting 2 years. We now report on the clinical course, lipoprotein concentrations, coronary angiograms, and side effects in patients undergoing LDL apheresis for as long as 8.6 years. Thirty-four patients (21 men and 13 women) with coronary heart disease and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) not adequately responsive to lipid-lowering drugs received weekly (four patients biweekly) LDL apheresis for 4.6 +/- 2.6 years under diet and lipid-lowering drug therapy; after 0.5 to 3 years, simvastatin in the maximal tolerable dose was added. The baseline LDL cholesterol concentration was 6.9 +/- 1.6 mmol/L. Combined treatment in the steady state yielded a pretreatment and posttreatment LDL cholesterol concentration of 4.8 +/- 0.9 and 1.8 +/- 0.4 mmol/L, respectively. The calculated interval mean LDL cholesterol was 3.3 +/- 0.6 mmol/L. Evaluation of the coronary angiographies revealed a definite regression of coronary lesions in four patients (11.8%); in 19 patients, there was a cessation of progression. Two patients developed atheromatous lesions in bypass grafts (L.H., 60% stenosis; S.M., occlusion). Of 23 patients eligible for the scoring of anginal symptoms, five (21.7%) reported a reduction of the frequency and severity of angina pectoris. The mean coronary symptom score in 23 patients changed from 1.65 +/- 0.83 at baseline to 1.39 +/- 0.66 at the end of the study. During the whole observation period, we observed three sudden deaths, one nonfatal myocardial infarction, and five patients requiring hospital admission because of unstable angina pectoris, one of which was followed by a transluminal coronary angioplasty. Aggressive reduction of LDL cholesterol with combined LDL apheresis and drugs induced regression of coronary lesions in four of 34 patients and prevented progression in 29 patients for as long as 8.6 years. The effect on LDL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) Lp(a)] was comparable with all three apheresis techniques. Therefore, no obvious difference between the three techniques was found regarding changes in coronary lesions.