Moderate statin treatment reduces prebeta-1 high-density lipoprotein levels in dyslipidemic patients.

Background: Elevated plasma levels of prebeta-1 high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the principal acceptor of cholesterol effluxed from macrophages, are associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the effects on prebeta-1 HDL levels of 6-week moderate-dose statin treatment.

Methods: We studied 101 patients (mean age 52.