Efficacy of vitamin E compared with either simvastatin or atorvastatin in preventing the progression of atherosclerosis in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Over a 4-year period, antioxidant therapy (vitamin E) was compared with high-dose statin therapy in 15 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Carotid intima-media thickness, used as an in vivo assessment of atherosclerosis, progressed rapidly during the period of vitamin E therapy but regressed on statin therapy.