Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Rosuvastatin/Ezetimibe Combination Therapy and Rosuvastatin Monotherapy on Lipoprotein in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study

A Comparison of Rosuvastatin Monotherapy and Rosuvastatin Plus Ezetimibe Combination Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition where vascular inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to disease progression and associated complications. Although statins are recommended for managing dyslipidemia in diabetes, additional therapies are often required to achieve target lipid levels. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of rosuvastatin monotherapy versus combination therapy with ezetimibe in patients with type 2 diabetes. A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases until April 2024, identifying six randomized controlled trials meeting the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed that the rosuvastatin plus ezetimibe combination resulted in significantly greater reductions in total cholesterol (mean difference, or MD: 19.49; 95% CI: 13.99 to 24.99), triglycerides (MD: 13.44; 95% CI: 2.04 to 24.85), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD: -17.68; 95% CI: 12.85 to 22.51) compared to rosuvastatin monotherapy. Conversely, rosuvastatin monotherapy achieved a greater reduction in HbA1c levels (MD: -0.11; 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.04). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that using the same dose of rosuvastatin in both groups led to more significant improvements in lipid parameters with lower heterogeneity. The findings suggest that the rosuvastatin-ezetimibe combination may be a more effective lipid-lowering strategy for patients with type 2 diabetes, though larger studies are needed to assess long-term safety and optimal dosing. Additionally, while rosuvastatin monotherapy provided modest HbA1c reductions, the clinical relevance remains uncertain, and potential risks with high-dose statins should be considered.

Prognostic role of apolipoproteins on long-term major adverse cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Apolipoprotein (apo) levels are associated with coronary risk. However, the relationship between apo levels after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and long-term major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between lipid levels, including apo, at follow-up, and long-term MACEs in patients undergoing PCI.

METHODS/MATERIALS

In total, 241 patients who underwent PCI between January 2004 and August 2008 were included in this study. MACEs were defined as cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, or coronary revascularization of new lesions. The primary endpoint was MACE, and the secondary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death and acute coronary syndrome.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up period of 2079 days, the following cardiovascular events occurred in 78 patients: cardiovascular death (n = 1), non-fatal acute myocardial infarctions (n = 10), and revascularizations of new lesions (n = 67). Multivariate cox's proportional hazards analysis showed that the apo B level was an independent risk factor for MACEs (hazard ratio 1.11, 95 % confidence interval 1.03-1.20; P = 0.009). In the Kaplan-Meier estimation for primary endpoints, significant differences were observed in the apo B level and apo B/apo A1 ratio (P = 0.04 and P = 0.004, respectively). However, there was no difference in the LDL-C level and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. At the secondary endpoint, only the apo B/apo A1 ratio was a prognostic factor (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

In the long-term cardiovascular events of patients undergoing PCI, the apo B level and apo B/apo A1 ratio were more valuable prognostic factors for cardiovascular events compared to the LDL-C level and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio.

The Efficacy and Safety of Moderate-Intensity Rosuvastatin with Ezetimibe versus High-Intensity Rosuvastatin in High Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Multicenter, Open, Parallel, Phase 4 Study

BACKGRUOUND

To investigate the efficacy and safety of moderate-intensity rosuvastatin/ezetimibe combination compared to highintensity rosuvastatin in high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This study was a randomized, multicenter, open, parallel phase 4 study, and enrolled T2DM subjects with an estimated 10-year ASCVD risk ≥7.5%. The primary endpoint was the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) change rate after 24-week rosuvastatin 10 mg/ezetimibe 10 mg treatment was non-inferior to that of rosuvastatin 20 mg. The achievement proportion of 10-year ASCVD risk <7.5% or comprehensive lipid target (LDL-C <70 mg/dL, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL, and apolipoprotein B <80 mg/dL) without discontinuation, and several metabolic parameters were explored as secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

A hundred and six participants were assigned to each group. Both groups showed significant reduction in % change of LDL-C from baseline at week 24 (-63.90±6.89 vs. -55.44±6.85, combination vs. monotherapy, p=0.0378; respectively), but the combination treatment was superior to high-intensity monotherapy in LDL-C change (%) from baseline (least square [LS] mean difference, -8.47; 95% confidence interval, -16.44 to -0.49; p=0.0378). The combination treatment showed a higher proportion of achieved comprehensive lipid targets rather than monotherapy (85.36% vs. 62.22% in monotherapy, p=0.015). The ezetimibe combination significantly improved homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function even without A1c changes (LS mean difference, 17.13; p=0.0185).

CONCLUSION

In high ASCVD risk patients with T2DM, the combination of moderate-intensity rosuvastatin and ezetimibe was not only non-inferior but also superior to improving dyslipidemia with additional benefits compared to high-intensity rosuvastatin monotherapy.

Effect of rosuvastatin 20 mg versus rosuvastatin 5 mg plus ezetimibe on statin side-effects in elderly patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Rationale and design of a randomized, controlled SaveSAMS trial

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend that patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) use high-intensity statin therapy to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels by at least 50%, irrespective of age. However, in real-world practice, there is reluctance to maintain statin use in response to side-effects, particularly statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). Moreover, no randomized trial has been conducted on the safety of statin therapy in elderly patients.

TRIAL DESIGN

This investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized clinical trial aimed to investigate the incidence of SAMS and its effect on LDL-cholesterol levels in elderly patients with established ASCVD. Eligible patients were aged 70 years or older with established ASCVD. Consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to receive either intensive statin monotherapy (rosuvastatin 20 mg) or combination therapy (rosuvastatin/ezetimibe, 5/10 mg). The primary endpoint of the study is SAMS at 6 months with regard to treatment strategy. Positive SAMS results are defined as patients with a proposed statin myalgia index score of 7 or higher. The key secondary end-points are target LDL-cholesterol achievement (LDL < 70 mg/dL), incidence of myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, frequency of drug discontinuation, and creatinine kinase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The SaveSAMS study is a multicenter, randomized trial that will compare the incidence of SAMS in patients with established ASCVD who are 70 years or older on intensive statin monotherapy to that combination therapy.

Serum MIG6 concentration is increased by cholesterol-lowering treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia

Objective

The protein encoded by mitogen-inducible gene 6 (MIG6) plays an essential role in the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and bile acid synthesis in mice. However, the physiological functions of MIG6 remain poorly understood in humans. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the serum MIG6 concentration and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol in patients undergoing cholesterol-lowering treatment.

Methods

We performed a non-randomized, prospective controlled trial. In total, 63 patients with type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia were treated using either rosuvastatin monotherapy or rosuvastatin/ezetimibe combination therapy for 12 weeks. We then compared their serum lipid and MIG6 concentrations before and after treatment.

Results

The serum LDL-cholesterol concentration of the participants significantly decreased and the concentration of MIG6 significantly increased during treatment. In addition, higher pre-treatment serum concentrations of MIG6 were associated with larger reductions in LDL-cholesterol, regardless of the therapeutic agent used.

Conclusions

Serum MIG6 concentration significantly increases alongside the reduction in LDL-cholesterol achieved using cholesterol-lowering therapies in patients with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. This is the first study to provide evidence that MIG6 may be involved in human cholesterol metabolism.

CRIS registration number: KCT0003477. https://cris.nih.go.kr.

PoLA/CFPiP/PCS/PSLD/PSD/PSH guidelines on diagnosis and therapy of lipid disorders in Poland 2021

In Poland there are still nearly 20 million individuals with hypercholesterolaemia, most of them are unaware of their condition; that is also why only ca. 5% of patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia have been diagnosed; that is why other rare cholesterol metabolism disorders are so rarely diagnosed in Poland. Let us hope that these guidelines, being an effect of work of experts representing 6 main scientific societies, as well as the network of PoLA lipid centers being a part of the EAS lipid centers, certification of lipidologists by PoLA, or the growing number of centers for rare diseases, with a network planned by the Ministry of Health, improvements in coordinated care for patients after myocardial infarction (KOS-Zawał), reimbursement of innovative agents, as well as introduction in Poland of an effective primary prevention program, will make improvement in relation to these unmet needs in diagnostics and treatment of lipid disorders possible.

Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe for the treatment of dyslipidemia and hypercholesterolemia

Introduction: Statins are powerful lipid-lowering agents which reduce cardiovascular (CV)-related morbidity and mortality. However, a large proportion of patients cannot attain the target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, despite receiving maximally tolerated doses of high-intensity statins. Also, adherence to treatment may be reduced due to statin-induced myopathy or other side effects. For these reasons, guidelines recommend adding the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe.Areas covered: Authors discuss the main pharmacological characteristics of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe, their lipid-lowering and pleiotropic effects, as well as the clinical effects of the fixed dose combination of these drugs when used to treat dyslipidemia.Expert opinion: The rosuvastatin/ezetimibe combination is safe and effective in patients with hypercholesterolemia or dyslipidemia with or without diabetes and with or without cardiovascular disease. This drug combination enabled higher proportions of patients to achieve recommended LDL-C goals than rosuvastatin monotherapy or the simvastatin/ezetimibe combination, without additional adverse events. Despite the lack of additional CV outcomes data and comparisons with atorvastatin/ezetimibe, rosuvastatin/ezetimibe appears as a potent and generally well-tolerated drug combination eligible for the management of hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia in adults. Recently, the 40 mg rosuvastatin/10 mg ezetimibe fixed combination was approved and is also evaluated.

Fixed-dose combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe: treating hypercholesteremia according to cardiovascular risk

Introduction: Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with lipid-lowering therapies has been associated with a decrease in the frequency of cardiovascular events.Areas covered: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed (MEDLINE), using the MeSH terms [Rosuvastatin] + [Ezetimibe] + [Dyslipidemia] + [treatment]. Original data from clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies and more useful reviews were selected.Expert opinion: While statins continue to be the cornerstone of dyslipidemia management, many patients do not attain LDL-C targets with high-intensity statins alone. Rosuvastatin is a high-intensity statin with a low risk of adverse effects and drug-drug interactions and proven benefits in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe have complementary mechanisms of action that enhance their ability to reduce LDL-C levels. Various studies have shown that the combination of rosuvastatin 10-40 mg and ezetimibe 10 mg enables considerable reductions in LDL-C (up to 60-75%) with a good safety profile in a broad spectrum of patients with hypercholesterolemia, including those at high risk and those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In addition, a fixed-dose combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe may improve adherence to medication. In this review, the available evidence on the combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe is updated.

Interaction between high-density lipoproteins and inflammation: Function matters more than concentration!

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) plays an important role in lipid metabolism and especially contributes to the reverse cholesterol transport pathway. Over recent years it has become clear that the effect of HDL on immune-modulation is not only dependent on HDL concentration but also and perhaps even more so on HDL function. This review will provide a concise general introduction to HDL followed by an overview of post-translational modifications of HDL and a detailed overview of the role of HDL in inflammatory diseases. The clinical potential of HDL and its main apolipoprotein constituent, apoA-I, is also addressed in this context. Finally, some conclusions and remarks that are important for future HDL-based research and further development of HDL-focused therapies are discussed.