Long-term effect of low-density lipoprotein apheresis in a patient with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: follow-up study using coronary angiography.

A 62-year-old man with old myocardial infarction and familial hypercholesterolemia was treated by both probucol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis. Coronary angiography was performed before and after 3.5 years of LDL apheresis treatment, and no new lesion or progression of coronary atherosclerosis was observed. LDL apheresis drastically reduced the serum total cholesterol. However, it is still unclear whether LDL apheresis effectively prevented the recurrence of cardiac events and the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in this patient.