Longterm beneficial effect of chloroquine diphosphate on lipoprotein profile in lupus patients with and without steroid therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of chloroquine diphosphate (CDP) alone and in combination with corticosteroids on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) lipoproteins.
METHODS: Fasting lipid profiles were performed in 60 consecutive female patients with SLE and in 30 controls. All SLE patients had minor disease activity and were divided according to current therapy in 4 groups: No therapy; prednisone (Pred group; < 15 mg prednisone daily); CDP (250 mg daily); and Pred + CDP.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences of age, race, and disease duration among SLE groups. All patients had SLEDAI scores < or = 4 and prednisone dose was similar in the 2 groups taking this drug. The CDP group had significantly higher levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels compared to No therapy group (p < 0.05), which were similar to those detected in healthy controls. In addition, higher levels of HDL-c and lower levels of triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (VLDL-c) were detected in Pred + CDP compared to Pred (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: CDP alone or added to corticosteroid therapy has a beneficial effect in SLE dyslipoproteinemia, particularly in increasing HDL-c levels. Additionally, this drug seems to revert the increased hepatic synthesis of lipoproteins induced by corticosteroids as suggested by the concomitant decrease of triglycerides and VLDL-c levels in SLE patients taking the combined regimen.