Colesevelam hydrochloride: efficacy and safety in pediatric subjects with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of colesevelam hydrochloride in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH).

STUDY DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, 41-site study in 194 children aged 10 to 17 years (inclusive) with heFH (statin-naïve or on a stable statin regimen). After a 4-week stabilization period (period I), subjects were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, colesevelam 1.875 g/d, or colesevelam 3.75 g/d for 8 weeks (period II). All then received open-label colesevelam 3.75 g/d for 18 weeks (period III), with follow-up 2 weeks later. The primary endpoint was percent change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol from baseline to week 8. Secondary endpoints included percent change in other lipoprotein variables, including non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL)-cholesterol. Adverse events were also evaluated.

RESULTS: At week 8, a significant difference from baseline in LDL-cholesterol was reported with colesevelam 1.875 g/d (-6.3%; P = .031) and colesevelam 3.75 g/d (-12.5%; P < .001) compared with placebo. Significant treatment effects were also reported for total cholesterol (-7.4%), non-HDL-cholesterol (-10.9%), HDL-cholesterol (+6.1%), apolipoprotein A-I (+6.9%), and apolipoprotein B (-8.3%) and a nonsignificant effect for triglycerides (+5.1%) with colesevelam 3.75 g/d compared with placebo at week 8. These treatment effects were maintained during period III.

CONCLUSIONS: Colesevelam significantly lowered LDL-cholesterol levels in children with heFH.