Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33610176›Full record

Observational studyLipids in health and disease2021

Pemafibrate decreases triglycerides and small, dense LDL, but increases LDL-C depending on baseline triglycerides and LDL-C in type 2 diabetes patients with hypertriglyceridemia: an observational study.

Ichiro Komiya, Akira Yamamoto, Suguru Sunakawa, Tamio Wakugami

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Lipids in health and disease, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Observational
  2. Fibrates : Do They Still Have a Role in Therapy in 2025?Current atherosclerosis reports · 2025
    Review
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Ichiro KomiyaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Okinawa Medical Hospital, 2310 Tsuhako-Nishihara, Sashiki, Nanjo, Okinawa, 9011414, Japan. i.kom.iya@nifty.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4965-4561
Akira YamamotoDepartment of Cardiology, Medical Plaza Daido Central, 123 Daido, Naha, Okinawa, 9020066, Japan.
Suguru SunakawaDepartment of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Medical Plaza Daido Central, 123 Daido, Naha, Okinawa, 9020066, Japan.
Tamio WakugamiDepartment of Internal Medicine, Okinawa Medical Hospital, 2310 Tsuhako-Nishihara, Sashiki, Nanjo, Okinawa, 9011414, Japan.
Naha City Hospital · JPOkinawa Prefecture · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPemafibrate, a selective PPARα modulator, has the beneficial effects on serum triglycerides (TGs) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), especially in patients with diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome. However, its effect on the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels is still undefined. LDL-C increased in some cases together with a decrease in TGs, and the profile of lipids, especially LDL-C, during pemafibrate administration was evaluated.

methodsPemafibrate was administered to type 2 diabetes patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Fifty-one type 2 diabetes patients (mean age 62 ± 13 years) with a high rate of hypertension and no renal insufficiency were analyzed. Pemafibrate 0.2 mg (0.1 mg twice daily) was administered, and serum lipids were monitored every 4-8 weeks from 8 weeks before administration to 24 weeks after administration. LDL-C was measured by the direct method. Lipoprotein fractions were measured by electrophoresis (polyacrylamide gel, PAG), and LDL-migration index (LDL-MI) was calculated to estimate small, dense LDL.

resultsPemafibrate reduced serum TGs, midband and VLDL fractions by PAG. Pemafibrate increased LDL-C levels from baseline by 5.3% (- 3.8-19.1, IQR). Patients were divided into 2 groups: LDL-C increase of > 5.3% (group I, n = 25) and < 5.3% (group NI, n = 26) after pemafibrate. Compared to group NI, group I had lower LDL-C (2.53 [1.96-3.26] vs. 3.36 [3.05-3.72] mmol/L, P = 0.0009), higher TGs (3.71 [2.62-6.69] vs. 3.25 [2.64-3.80] mmol/L), lower LDL by PAG (34.2 [14.5, SD] vs. 46.4% [6.5], P = 0.0011), higher VLDL by PAG (28.2 [10.8] vs. 22.0% [5.2], P = 0.0234), and higher LDL-MI (0.421 [0.391-0.450] vs. 0.354 [0.341-0.396], P < 0.0001) at baseline. Pemafibrate decreased LDL-MI in group I, and the differences between the groups disappeared. These results showed contradictory effects of pemafibrate on LDL-C levels, and these effects were dependent on the baseline levels of LDL-C and TGs.

conclusionsPemafibrate significantly reduced TGs, VLDL, midband, and small, dense LDL, but increased LDL-C in diabetes patients with higher baseline TGs and lower baseline LDL-C. Even if pre-dose LDL-C remains in the normal range, pemafibrate improves LDL composition and may reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

Indexed as

AgedBenzoxazolesButyratesCholesterol, LDLCholesterol, VLDLDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2FemaleHumansHypertriglyceridemiaLipidsMaleMiddle AgedTriglyceridesBenzoxazolesButyratesCholesterol, LDLCholesterol, VLDLLipids(R)-2-(3-((benzoxazol-2-yl-d4 (3-(4-methoxyphenoxy-d7)propyl)amino)methyl)phenoxy) butanoic acidTriglyceridesDense LDLLow density lipoprotein cholesterolPemafibrateSmallTriglyceridesType 2 daibetes

Identifiers

PMID33610176
PMCPMC7897372
OpenAlexW3132380608

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.