ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between bilirubin levels and hyperlipidemia in patients with glucocorticoid-resistant nephritic syndrome (NS).
Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. A total of one hundred and seventy-two patients with glucocorticoid resistance met the inclusion criteria and were divided into 2 groups (the treatment and control groups), each comprising 86 patients. Due to worsening of renal and discharge functions among the patients, Simvastatin therapy (10 mg/d) was administered for four weeks to 68 patients from the treatment group while 78 patients from the control group were treated without lipid-lowering drugs for the same duration of time. Triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCHO), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), serum total protein, serum albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and 24-h urinary protein (UPr) levels were determined before and after treatment.
Results: Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly decreased, but the bilirubin level significantly increased in the treatment group compared to the levels in the control group and those before treatment (p < 0.01). Additionally, HDL-C and 24-h UPr levels were not significantly different between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Low bilirubin level was in primary nephritic syndrome patients with glucocorticoid resistance. After treatment with Simvastatin, blood lipid was reduced and total bilirubin level was increased. However, there was no improvement in urinary albumin, which indicated that bilirubin might be involved in dyslipidemia of nephrotic syndrome.
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