Lipid Disorders

Jan 2nd, 2024

The study titled "Inflammation and cholesterol as predictors of cardiovascular events" employed a Randomized Controlled Trial design to assess the effects of Bempedoic acid on statin-intolerant high-risk patients. This research included 13,970 participants and compared the outcomes of those receiving Bempedoic acid against a control group given a placebo. The results indicated that Bempedoic acid led to a reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) by 21.6% and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) by 21.1%. Notably, high levels of hsCRP were identified as a more potent predictor of cardiovascular events and death compared to high LDLC. The clinical implications of these findings suggest that inflammation, as measured by hsCRP, is a more significant indicator than hyperlipidemia, as measured by LDLC, for cardiovascular events in patients intolerant to statins. Furthermore, Bempedoic acid was found to be effective across a range of hsCRP and LDLC levels (1).

 

Another study, a Retrospective Cohort Analysis titled "PCSK9 Inhibitors in Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia," investigated the effectiveness of PCSK9 Inhibitors (PCSK9i) in patients with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). This observational analysis involved 28 patients. The study did not explicitly mention a control group. The findings revealed a minimal response to PCSK9i treatment, with no patients achieving the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. This outcome underscores the necessity for additional lipid-lowering therapies to meet LDL-C goals in patients with HoFH, highlighting the limited efficacy of PCSK9i in this specific patient population (2).

  1. Ridker PM, Lei L, Louie MJ, Haddad T, Nicholls SJ, Lincoff AM, et al. Inflammation and Cholesterol as Predictors of Cardiovascular Events Among 13 970 Contemporary High-Risk Patients With Statin Intolerance. Circulation. 2024;149(1):28-35.

  2. Alshahrani A, Kholaif N, Al-Khnifsawi M, Zarif H, Mahzari M. The Effect of PCSK9 Inhibitors on LDL-C Target Achievement in Patients with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis. Adv Ther. 2024.