551 RAPID RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF A NOVEL NUTRACEUTICAL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA: A MULTICENTER PRIMARY CARE EXPERIENCE IN A LARGE POPULATION OF PATIENTS AT LOW TO MODERATE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK


 
 
 In the last few years increasing evidence have reinforced the benefits of low-density lipoprotrein (LDL-C) levels reduction on cardiovascular outcome. Different targets have been suggested based on the cardiovascular risk (CVR). A goal of LDL-C less of 115mg/dL is desiderable for patients at low to moderate CVR according the current european guidelines. However, an high percentage of patients at low to moderate CVR are far from this target. Nutraceuticals are “food supplements” that may help to achieve this goal in this population. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with a novel nutraceutical formulation on plasma lipid levels in subjects with low to moderate hypercholesterolemia who are not on treatment with conventional drug and/or with other dietary supplements.
 
 
 
 Adult patients with hypercholesterolemia were retrospectively selected from the database of participant family practitioners. All patients had a baseline evaluation already recorded, including family and medical history, physical examination, and blood test that included total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and transaminases (AST and ALT) and have started a dietary supplementation with nutraceuticals. After this selection, a total of 504 patients under this novel nutraceutical (given 1 tablet daily at dinner) with blood test at 30-days already performed, were identified. Similarly, 108 subjects with comparable clinical features but not treated with any supplements were also selected.
 
 
 
 At 30-day of follow-up, the use of this novel dietary supplement was associated with significant reduction of LDL-C 124 ± 16 vs. 100 ± 13 mg/dL, p-value <0.001) and TC levels (210 ± 56 vs. 187 ± 60, p-value < 0.0001), in absence of a significant changes of transaminase levels (AST: 30 ± 6 vs. 30 ± 6 U/L, p-value 0.198; ALT: AST: 30 ± 6 vs. 30 ± 6 U/L, p-value 0.325) and in CRP (3.9 ± 1.5 vs. 3.9 ± 1.4 mg/dL, p-value 0.889). No side effects were reported in the database along to the observation period.
 
 
 
 This novel nutraceutical formulation is an effective dietary supplement in obtaining a significant and early reduction of LDL-C in patients with hypercholesterolemia at low to moderate cardiovascular risk.
