Effect of red yeast rice combined with antioxidants on lipid pattern, hs-CRP level, and endothelial function in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects

Figures & data

Table 1 Main characteristics of the investigated parameters at baseline in patients treated with the tested nutraceutical or placebo

Variable	Placebo (n=13; M, 5; F, 8)		Active treatment (n=12; M, 5; F, 7)
	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Age (years)	52.78	8.33	53.65	8.67
Total energy intake (kcal)	2,364	136	2,385	156
Fat dietary intake (% on total energy)	28.9	3.1	29.4	3.9
Saturated fat intake (% on total energy)	11.1	1.3	11.4	0.9
P/S fatty acids ratio	1.1	0.1	1.2	0.2
n-6 PUFA/n-3 PUFA	0.9	0.2	0.8	0.3
Protein intake (% on total energy)	16.6	2.0	16.8	1.8
Carbohydrate intake (% on total energy)	54.5	4.2	53.8	4.4
Simple sugar intake (% on total energy)	8.2	1.3	8.4	1.5
Cholesterol intake (mg)	204.2	10.2	202.8	11.6
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	26.7	0.7	26.8	0.9
SBP (mmHg)	135.1	5.77	135.04	5.54
DBP (mmHg)	85.6	4.02	83.36	5.58
Pulse pressure (mmHg)	49.4	4.77	51.68	5.24
Mean arterial pressure (mmHg)	110.4	4.36	109.20	4.90
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	224.6	24.10	237.04	32.81
HDL-C (mg/dL)	36.5	6.75	36.88	8.07
LDL-C (mg/dL)	152.3	25.40	167.68	23.81
Triglycerides (mg/dL)	169.4	56.86	162.40	47.78
Non-HDL-C (mg/dL)	188.8	26.59	200.16	34.57
Apolipoprotein AI (mg/dL)	115.6	17.25	120.46	17.96
Apolipoprotein B (mg/dL)	91.6	12.37	91.00	13.52
Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)	92.8	7.78	95.32	9.38
Creatinine (mg/dL)	21.6	4.95	21.32	4.99
Creatine-phosphokinase (U/L)	22.8	8.95	26.24	11.47
AST (U/L)	1.1	0.15	1.05	0.13
ALT (U/L)	121.6	37.00	131.60	36.95
hs-CRP (mg/L)	1.9	0.35	2.15	0.43
Pulse volume changes (%)	64.3	12.1	62.4	11.6

Notes: Descriptive values reported as mean and SD. The subjects were cross-matched for all the tested variables.

Abbreviations: M, male; F, female; SD, standard deviation; P/S, polyunsaturated/saturated; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; AST, aspartate transaminase; ALT, alanine transaminase; hs-CRP, high sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Table 2 Changes in the investigated parameters after placebo and monacolin treatment (cumulative data comparing pre-/posttreatment phases)

Δ (T0−T1)	Placebo (n=25)			Active treatment (n=25)
	Mean	SD	P-value vs baseline	Mean	SD	P-value vs baseline
Δ Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	−12.1	11.2	<0.001	−43.5*	19.7	<0.001
Δ HDL-C (mg/dL)	+1.4	4.1	0.156	+1.6	5.5	0.134
Δ LDL-C (mg/dL)	−2.1	13.9	0.462	−37.5*	14.1	<0.001
Δ Triglycerides (mg/dL)	−57.8	78.5	0.001	−39.7	58.7	0.003
Δ Non-HDL-C (mg/dL)	−13.5	12.3	<0.001	−45.7*	19.2	<0.001
Δ Apolipoprotein AI (mg/dL)	+15.6	26.1	0.660	+12.3	25.3	0.634
Δ Apolipoprotein B (mg/dL)	−0.2	11.6	0.958	−11.8*	12.5	0.038
Δ FPG (mg/dL)	−1.6	8.9	0.394	−2.4	11.4	0.369
Δ Creatinine (mg/dL)	+0.07	0.11	0.287	−0.03	0.14	0.334
Δ CPK (U/L)	+16.4	34.5	0.269	+24.4	44.3	0.298
Δ AST (U/L)	−4.6	11.1	0.163	−2.2	4.6	0.133
Δ ALT (U/L)	−5.4	14.7	0.160	−1.2	10.2	0.422
Δ hs-CRP (mg/L)	+0.04	0.07	0.410	−0.05*	0.05	<0.001
Δ Pulse volume (%)	−4.3	10.3	0.070	+11.6*	9.8	0.022

Notes: Two-way analysis of variance for crossover design was used to assess the effects of treatment during treatment with placebo or monacolins.

* P<0.01 vs placebo. All the data are expressed as mean and SD.

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; CPK, creatine-phosphokinase; AST, aspartate transaminase; ALT, alanine transaminase; hs-CRP, high sensitivity C-reactive protein.