Effectiveness and Safety of Fenofibrate in Routine Treatment of Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia and Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Multiple trials have demonstrated the efficacy of fenofibrate for the management of dyslipidemia. Real-world evidence may provide important insights into the effectiveness and safety of fenofibrate in patients with metabolic syndrome and elevated triglyceride (TG) levels, but such evidence is currently scarce. Materials and Methods: A non-interventional study was conducted among routine healthcare providers. Patients with TG levels of >2.3 mmol/L on stable statin therapy starting fenofibrate treatment were enrolled. Data on medical history, fenofibrate treatment, change in lipid levels, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected from medical records every 3 months for 6 to 7 months of observation. Results: Overall, 988 patients receiving fenofibrate were enrolled (median age [95% CI] 60 [26.0–86.0] years), and 46.4% of the participants were females. Most patients had concomitant cardiovascular disease. A baseline TG level of 3.6 ± 1.5 mmol/L was reduced by 50.1% to 1.7 ± 0.58 mmol/L at 6 months of treatment (p < 0.001). Baseline non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels decreased by 33.7% at 6 months. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels by the end of follow-up were reduced by 24.7 and 25.5% (p < 0.001 for both). C-reactive protein level decreased more than 39% from baseline. Conclusions: Fenofibrate in a real-world setting significantly reduced TG, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C levels. In addition, a C-reactive protein level reduction of 39% was achieved.