The Impact of Statin Treatment on Presentation Mode and Early Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes

Statin use is associated with less ST-elevation versus non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a nationwide study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Statin therapy reduces myocardial infarction rate but whether it is associated with a shift of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) towards non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI) remains unknown. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that statin use is associated with less STEMI relative to non-STEMI in first-time myocardial infarction.

METHODS

In a nationwide study, including 66,896 patients with first-time myocardial infarction between 2010 and 2021, we obtained multivariable risk estimates for STEMI versus non-STEMI according to any statin use, cumulated statin use, and daily statin dose. Furthermore, we obtained hazard ratios for 60-day mortality (5545 deaths) following myocardial infarction according to type of infarction.

RESULTS

Odds ratios for STEMI versus non-STEMI were 0.81 (95 % CI:0.77-0.85) and 1.07 (1.01-1.13) in current and previous statin users compared to never statin users. Cumulated statin exposure yielded odds ratios of 0.96 (0.87-1.07) for <2 statin-years, 0.87 (0.79-0.95) for 2-4.9 statin-years, 0.80 (0.74-0.87) for 5-10 statin-years, and 0.75 (0.70-0.80) for >10 statin-years compared to never users. Corresponding odds ratios for statin dose intensity were 0.89 (0.84-0.95) for low-intensity, 0.77 (0.73-0.82) for moderate-intensity, and 0.70 (0.63-0.77) for high-intensity. Results were similar in multiple sensitivity analyses and using a cohort design. The hazard ratio for 60-day mortality after first-time STEMI versus non-STEMI was 2.24 (2.13-2.37).

CONCLUSIONS

In this nationwide study, prior statin use is associated with less STEMI relative to non-STEMI in a dose dependent manner. This indicates that statin therapy, in addition to reducing myocardial infarction event rates, also result in a less severe presentation of myocardial infarctions.

Association of Contemporary Statin Pretreatment Intensity and LDL-C Levels on the Incidence of STEMI Presentation

Constituting hypolipidemic and pleiotropic effects, statins stabilize coronary artery plaque and may prevent STEMI events. This study investigated the association between contemporary statin pretreatment intensity, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, and the type of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presentation: STEMI vs. NSTE-ACS. Data were drawn from the ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS), a biennial prospective national survey that took place in 2008–2018. The rate of STEMI vs. NSTE-ACS was calculated by statin use, including statin intensity (high-intensity statin therapy (HIST) and low-intensity statin therapy (LIST) prior to the index ACS event. Among 5103 patients, 2839 (56%) were statin-naive, 1389 (27%) used LIST and 875 (17%) used HIST. Statin pretreated patients were older and had a higher rates of co-morbidities, cardiovascular disease history and pretreatment with evidence-based medications. STEMI vs. NSTE-ACS was lower among HIST vs. LIST vs. statin-naive patients (31.0%, 37.8%, and 54.0%, respectively, p for trend < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that HIST was independently associated with lower STEMI presentation (OR_adj 0.70; 95% CI 0.57–0.86), while LIST (OR_adj 0.92; 95% CI 0.77–1.10) and LDL-C < 70 mg/dL (OR_adj 0.96; 95% CI 0.82–1.14) were not. In conclusion, among patients admitted with ACS, pretreatment with HIST was independently associated with a lower probability of STEMI presentation, while LIST and LDL-C < 70 mg/dL were not.

Relation of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level to Plaque Rupture

Statin therapy reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), inflammation, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association between LDL-C and statin therapy on the prevalence of plaque rupture (PR). Patients with acute coronary syndromes who underwent optical coherence tomography imaging of the culprit lesion were divided into 4 groups based on LDL-C level and statin use (Group 1: LDL-C ≤ 100 without statin; Group 2; LDL-C ≤ 100 with statin; Group 3: LDL-C > 100 with statin; Group 4: LDL-C > 100 without statin), and the prevalence of PR was compared between the groups. Among 896 patients, PR was diagnosed in 444 (49.6%) patients. The prevalence of PR was significantly different among the 4 groups (p = 0.007): it was highest in the high LDL-C without statin group and lowest in the low LDL-C without statin group (53.9% and 39.2%, respectively). Compared with the high LDL-C without statin group, the low LDL-C without statin and low LDL-C with statin groups had a significantly lower prevalence of PR (p = 0.001, p = 0.040, respectively), and the low LDL-C with statin group had a significantly higher prevalence of calcification (p = 0.037). The patients with naturally low LDL-C have the lowest risk of PR. The patients with low LDL-C achieved by statin therapy had a higher prevalence of calcification. When LDL-C level is elevated, early and aggressive treatment with statin may help to prevent PR by stabilizing plaques through calcification.

[Early statin therapy in acute myocardial infarction]

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effects of the early administration of statins during acute myocardial infarction (MI).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was carried out.

SETTING

National (Spain).

PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS

Patients included in the ARIAM registry from January 1999 to December 2008 with a diagnosis of MI.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN VARIABLES

We used logistic regression analysis and propensity scoring to determine whether the administration of statins during the first 24h of MI acts as a protective factor against: 1) mortality, 2) the incidence of lethal arrhythmias, or 3) cardiogenic shock.

RESULTS

A total of 36 842 patients were included in the study. Statins were administered early in 50.2% of the patients. Statin administration was associated with younger patients with known previous dyslipidemia, obesity, a history of ischemic heart disease, heart failure, presence of sinus tachycardia, use of beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, thrombolysis and percutaneous coronary intervention. Mortality was 8.2% (13.2% without statin versus 3% with statin, P<.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that statin administration acted as a protective factor against mortality (adjusted OR 0.518, 95%CI 0.447 to 0.601). Continued use of statins was associated with a reduction in mortality (adjusted OR 0.597, 95%CI 0.449 to 0.798), and the start of treatment was a protective factor against mortality (adjusted OR 0.642, 95%CI 0.544 -0.757). Statin therapy also exerted a protective effect against the incidence of lethal arrhythmias and cardiogenic shock.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that early treatment with statins in patients with MI is associated with reduced mortality.