Schaefer - Figure 13 - Atorva vs Rosuva in STELLAR Text

This Figure shows the effects of the 2 newest, most potent statins on this HDL particle size spectrum. Although statins do not have much effect on the production or breakdown of the principal HDL protein, apoA-I, they do rearrange the particle size spectrum, with a reduction in the very small particles and significant increases in the very large particles. This is consistent with the idea that statins are not only depleting cholesterol in the macrophage cells in the arterial plaques, and enhancing the clearance of LDL particles by up-regulating the LDL receptor, but they are also enhancing the conversion of very small HDL after it has picked up cholesterol to the larger particles, which we think is actually a very beneficial thing.

As an additional observation, comparing atorvastatin versus rosuvastatin, it can be seen in the Figure that rosuvastatin appears to be more effective than atorvastatin in decreasing pre-beta1 HLD particle content in favor of increasing the percentage of very large alpha1 HDL particles.

Schaefer E. J Clin Lipidol. 2011; 5(6).