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Rexhaj E, Bär S, Soria R, Ueki Y, Häner JD, Otsuka T, Kavaliauskaite R, Siontis GC, Stortecky S, Shibutani H, Spirk D, Engstrøm T, Lang I, Morf L, Ambühl M, Windecker S, Losdat S, Koskinas KC, Räber L. Effects of alirocumab on endothelial function and coronary atherosclerosis in myocardial infarction: A PACMAN-AMI randomized clinical trial substudy. Atherosclerosis 2024; 392:117504. [PMID: 38513436 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2024.117504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The effects of protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors on endothelial function as assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab added to high-intensity statin on FMD, and its association with coronary atherosclerosis in non-infarct related arteries using intracoronary intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS This was a pre-specified substudy among patients recruited at Bern University Hospital, Switzerland, for the randomized-controlled, double-blind, PACMAN-AMI trial, which compared the effects of biweekly alirocumab 150 mg vs. placebo added to rosuvastatin. Brachial artery FMD was measured at 4 and 52 weeks, and intracoronary imaging at baseline and 52 weeks. RESULTS 139/173 patients completed the substudy. There was no difference in FMD at 52 weeks in the alirocumab (n = 68, 5.44 ± 2.24%) versus placebo (n = 71, 5.45 ± 2.19%) group (difference = -0.21%, 95% CI -0.77 to 0.35, p = 0.47). FMD improved throughout 52 weeks in both groups similarly (p < 0.001). There was a significant association between 4 weeks FMD and baseline plaque burden (IVUS) (n = 139, slope = -1.00, p = 0.006), but not with lipid pool (NIRS) (n = 139, slope = -7.36, p = 0.32), or fibrous cap thickness (OCT) (n = 81, slope = -1.57, p = 0.62). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with AMI, the addition of alirocumab did not result in further improvement of FMD as compared to 52 weeks secondary preventative medical therapy including high-intensity statin therapy. FMD was significantly associated with coronary plaque burden at baseline, but not with lipid pool or fibrous cap thickness.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Male
- Female
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacology
- Middle Aged
- Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy
- Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging
- Coronary Artery Disease/complications
- Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects
- Endothelium, Vascular/physiopathology
- Double-Blind Method
- Aged
- PCSK9 Inhibitors
- Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy
- Myocardial Infarction/complications
- Myocardial Infarction/diagnostic imaging
- Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology
- Ultrasonography, Interventional
- Rosuvastatin Calcium/therapeutic use
- Treatment Outcome
- Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Tomography, Optical Coherence
- Vasodilation/drug effects
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
- Plaque, Atherosclerotic/drug therapy
- Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging
- Coronary Vessels/drug effects
- Coronary Vessels/physiopathology
- Brachial Artery/drug effects
- Brachial Artery/physiopathology
- Brachial Artery/diagnostic imaging
- Time Factors
- Proprotein Convertase 9
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Affiliation(s)
- Emrush Rexhaj
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Bär
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rodrigo Soria
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yasushi Ueki
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jonas D Häner
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tatsuhiko Otsuka
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Raminta Kavaliauskaite
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - George Cm Siontis
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Stortecky
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hiroki Shibutani
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - David Spirk
- Institute of Pharmacology, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland; Sanofi, Suurstofi 2, 6343, Risch-Rotkreuz, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Engstrøm
- Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, 20100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Irene Lang
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Morf
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Maria Ambühl
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Windecker
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Losdat
- CTU Bern, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Konstantinos C Koskinas
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Räber
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 18, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
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Santos JD, Dawson S, Conefrey C, Isaacs T, Khanum M, Faisal S, Paramasivan S. Most UK cardiovascular disease trial protocols feature criteria that exclude ethnic minority participants: a systematic review. J Clin Epidemiol 2024; 167:111259. [PMID: 38215800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We systematically reviewed UK cardiovascular disease (CVD) randomized controlled trial (RCT) protocols to identify the proportion featuring eligibility criteria that may disproportionately exclude ethnic minority (EM) participants. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, January 2014-June 2022, to identify UK CVD RCT protocols. We extracted nonclinical eligibility criteria from trial protocols and inductively categorized the trials by their language, consent, and broad (ambiguous) criteria. Findings are narratively reported. RESULTS Of the seventy included RCT protocols, most (87.1%; 61/70) mentioned consent within the eligibility criteria, with more than two-thirds (68.9%; 42/61) indicating a requirement for 'written' consent. Alternative consent pathways that can aid EM participation were absent. English language requirement was present in 22.9% (16/70) of the studies and 37.1% (26/70) featured broad criteria that are open to interpretation and subject to recruiter bias. Only 4.3% (3/70) protocols mentioned the provision of translation services. CONCLUSION Most UK CVD trial protocols feature eligibility criteria that potentially exclude EM groups. Trial eligibility criteria must be situated within a larger inclusive recruitment framework, where ethnicity is considered alongside other intersecting and disadvantaging identities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhulia Dos Santos
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Shoba Dawson
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Carmel Conefrey
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Talia Isaacs
- UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mahwar Khanum
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Saba Faisal
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sangeetha Paramasivan
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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PCSK9 Inhibitors in Cancer Patients Treated with Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors to Reduce Cardiovascular Events: New Frontiers in Cardioncology. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15051397. [PMID: 36900189 PMCID: PMC10000232 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are exposed to a high risk of atherosclerosis and cardiometabolic diseases due to systemic inflammatory conditions and immune-related atheroma destabilization. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key protein involved in metabolism of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. PCSK9 blocking agents are clinically available and involve monoclonal antibodies, and SiRNA reduces LDL levels in high-risk patients and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events in multiple patient cohorts. Moreover, PCSK9 induces peripheral immune tolerance (inhibition of cancer cell- immune recognition), reduces cardiac mitochondrial metabolism, and enhances cancer cell survival. The present review summarizes the potential benefits of PCSK9 inhibition through selective blocking antibodies and siRNA in patients with cancer, especially in those treated with ICIs therapies, in order to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular events and potentially improve ICIs-related anticancer functions.
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Chen H, Chen X. PCSK9 inhibitors for acute coronary syndrome: the era of early implementation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1138787. [PMID: 37200976 PMCID: PMC10185746 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1138787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, a new cholesterol-lowering strategy, can decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by inhibiting PCSK9 and reducing the degradation of LDL receptors; thus, they are impacting the management of dyslipidemia to the prevention of cardiovascular events. Recent guidelines recommend PCSK9 inhibitors for patients who fail to achieve target lipids after ezetimibe/statin therapy. As PCSK9 inhibitors have been demonstrated to significantly and safely reduce LDL-C, discussions have begun to explore its optimal timing in coronary artery disease, especially in subjects with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Also, their additional benefits, such as anti-inflammatory effects, plaque regression effects, and cardiovascular event prevention, have become the focus of recent research. Several studies, including EPIC-STEMI, suggest the lipid-lowering effects of early PCSK9 inhibitors in ACS patients, while some studies such as PACMAN-AMI suggest that early PCSK9 inhibitors can decelerate plaque progression and reduce short-term risks of cardiovascular events. Thus, PCSK9 inhibitors are entering the era of early implementation. In this review, we are committed to summarizing the multidimensional benefits of early implementation of PCSK9 inhibitors in ACS.
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