Baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol predicts the benefit of adding ezetimibe on statin in statin-naïve acute coronary syndrome

Sci Rep. 2021 Apr 5;11(1):7480. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-87098-x.

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the effect of baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on the outcomes of patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) receiving pitavastatin monotherapy or the combination of pitavastatin + ezetimibe. In the HIJ-PROPER study, 1734 ACS patients with dyslipidemia were randomly assigned to receive pitavastatin or pitavastatin + ezetimibe therapy. Statin-naïve participants (n = 1429) were divided into two groups based on the median LDL-C level (131 mg/dL) at enrollment. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, unstable angina, and ischemia-driven coronary revascularization. The median follow-up was 3.2 years. In the < 131 mg/dL group (n = 686), LDL-C changes were - 34.0% and - 49.8% in the pitavastatin monotherapy and pitavastatin + ezetimibe-treated groups (P < 0.0001), respectively; in the ≥ 131 mg/dL group (n = 743), LDL-C changes were - 42.9% and - 56.4% (P < 0.0001, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that the primary endpoint was not significantly different between the treatment groups for the < 131 mg/dL group, however, it was significantly lower in patients treated with pitavastatin + ezetimibe in the ≥ 131 mg/dL group (Hazard ratio = 0.72, 95% confidence interval = 0.56-0.91, P = 0.007, P value for interaction = 0.012). Statin-naïve ACS patients with baseline LDL-C < 131 mg/dL did not clinically benefit from pitavastatin + ezetimibe, while patients with baseline LDL-C ≥ 131 mg/dL treated with pitavastatin + ezetimibe showed better clinical results than those treated with pitavastatin monotherapy.Clinical Trial Registration: Original HIJ PROPER study; URL: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr . Unique Identifier; UMIN000002742, registered as an International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Coronary Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Acute Coronary Syndrome / metabolism*
  • Aged
  • Cholesterol, LDL / metabolism*
  • Endpoint Determination
  • Ezetimibe / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Ezetimibe