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The magnitude of effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on specific cardiovascular and renal outcomes and whether heterogeneity is based on key baseline characteristics remains undefined. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised, placebo-controlled, cardiovascular outcome trials of SGLT2i in patients with type 2 diabetes. We searched PubMed and Embase for trials published up to Sept 24, 2018. Data search and extraction were completed with a standardised data form and any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Efficacy outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death), the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure, and progression of renal disease. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were pooled across trials, and efficacy outcomes were stratified by baseline presence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and degree of renal function. We included data from three identified trials and 34 322 patients (60·2% with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), with 3342 major adverse cardiovascular events, 2028 cardiovascular deaths or hospitalisation sfor heart failure events, and 766 renal composite outcomes. SGLT2i reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 11% (HR 0·89 [95% CI 0·83–0·96], p=0·0014), with benefit only seen in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (0·86 [0·80–0·93]) and not in those without (1·00 [0·87–1·16], p for interaction=0·0501). SGLT2i reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure by 23% (0·77 [0·71–0·84], p<0·0001), with a similar benefit in patients with and without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and with and without a history of heart failure. SGLT2i reduced the risk of progression of renal disease by 45% (0·55 [0·48–0·64], p<0·0001), with a similar benefit in those with and without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The magnitude of benefit of SGLT2i varied with baseline renal function, with greater reductions in hospitalisations for heart failure (p for interaction=0·0073) and lesser reductions in progression of renal disease (p for interaction=0·0258) in patients with more severe kidney disease at baseline. SGLT2i have moderate benefits on atherosclerotic major adverse cardiovascular events that seem confined to patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, they have robust benefits on reducing hospitalisation for heart failure and progression of renal disease regardless of existing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or a history of heart failure. None.

In a phase 2b trial involving patients with hypertriglyceridemia, the use of olezarsen (which targets APOC3 mRNA) for 6 months reduced triglyceride levels by approximately 50% as compared with placebo.

Abstract Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a circulating biomarker of fibrosis, with higher levels being associated with an increased risk of progression of heart failure and kidney disease. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk of both. Methods DECLARE-TIMI 58 was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of dapagliflozin in patients with T2DM with or at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min. In a nested biomarker substudy, Gal-3 was measured at baseline and in adjusted analyses associated with the prespecified kidney-specific composite endpoint [Kidney-EP; sustained ≥40% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to <60 mL/min, new end-stage kidney disease or adjudicated kidney-related death]. Results Among 14 530 pts, median Gal-3 was 14.9 ng/mL [interquartile range (IQR), 11.9, 18.4]. Gal-3 was weakly associated with urine albumin creatinine ratio (r = 0.098, P < 0.0001) and eGFR (r = −0.27, P < 0.001) at baseline and independently associated with the Kidney-EP:adj hazard ratio (HR) 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03, 1.28] per 1-SD log (Gal-3), P = 0.013. Dapagliflozin significantly reduced the relative risk of the Kidney-EP across quartiles of baseline Gal-3 [overall HR 0.45 (95% CI 0.23, 0.85), P < 0.0001; P interaction = 0.87]. A greater risk difference was observed with dapagliflozin in patients with higher Gal-3, in whom a higher absolute risk at baseline was observed [absolute risk reduction (ARR) Q4 1.9 (95% CI 0.6, 3.2) vs. Q1 0.6% (−0.1, 1.3), ARR P trend 0.048]. Conclusions Plasma Gal-3 is independently associated with the progression of kidney dysfunction in patients with T2DM and normal kidney function. There was a gradient of greater absolute benefit for reducing kidney disease progression in patients treated with dapagliflozin and with higher Gal-3 concentrations at baseline, in whom a higher absolute risk was observed. Registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01730534).

Abelacimab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to the inactive form of factor XI and blocks its activation. The safety of abelacimab as compared with a direct oral anticoagulant in patients with atrial fibrillation is unknown. Patients with atrial fibrillation and a moderate-to-high risk of stroke were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, to receive subcutaneous injection of abelacimab (150 mg or 90 mg once monthly) administered in a blinded fashion or oral rivaroxaban (20 mg once daily) administered in an open-label fashion. The primary end point was major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. A total of 1287 patients underwent randomization; the median age was 74 years, and 44% were women. At 3 months, the median reduction in free factor XI levels with abelacimab at a dose of 150 mg was 99% (interquartile range, 98 to 99) and with abelacimab at a dose of 90 mg was 97% (interquartile range, 51 to 99). The trial was stopped early on the recommendation of the independent data monitoring committee because of a greater-than-anticipated reduction in bleeding events with abelacimab. The incidence rate of major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding was 3.2 events per 100 person-years with 150-mg abelacimab and 2.6 events per 100 person-years with 90-mg abelacimab, as compared with 8.4 events per 100 person-years with rivaroxaban (hazard ratio for 150-mg abelacimab vs. rivaroxaban, 0.38 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.24 to 0.60]; hazard ratio for 90-mg abelacimab vs. rivaroxaban, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.19 to 0.51]; P<0.001 for both comparisons). The incidence and severity of adverse events appeared to be similar in the three groups. Among patients with atrial fibrillation who were at moderate-to-high risk for stroke, treatment with abelacimab resulted in markedly lower levels of free factor XI and fewer bleeding events than treatment with rivaroxaban. (Funded by Anthos Therapeutics; AZALEA-TIMI 71 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04755283.).

Among patients with moderate hypertriglyceridemia and high cardiovascular risk, monthly olezarsen injections resulted in significantly greater reduction in triglyceride levels at 6 months than placebo.

Background Heart failure (HF) is a growing public health problem and ischemic heart disease is an important risk factor. Understanding the epidemiology of HF in patients with atherosclerosis may help identify subgroups at greater risk who have the potential to derive greater benefit from preventive strategies. Methods and Results The TRA 2°P‐TIMI 50 trial randomized 26,449 patients with stable atherosclerosis to the antiplatelet agent vorapaxar versus placebo. Hospitalization for HF (HHF) endpoints were adjudicated from serious adverse events by blinded structured review using established definitions. HHF incidence was estimated using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Independent predictors of HHF risk were identified using multivariable logistic regression. The effect of vorapaxar on HHF risk was explored using Cox regression. The estimated incidence of HHF at 3 years was 1.6%. Independent predictors of HHF included prior HF (adjusted odds ratio [adj‐OR]: 8.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.56–10.54), age (adj‐OR [per 10 years]: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.47–1.89), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM; adj‐OR: 2.55; 95% CI: 2.01–3.24), polyvascular disease (two‐territory disease, adj‐OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.46–2.44; three‐territory disease, adj‐OR: 2.68; 95% CI: 1.94–3.70), chronic kidney disease (CKD; adj‐OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.30–2.11), body mass index (BMI; adj‐OR [per 5 kg/m2]: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.03–1.27), prior myocardial infarction (MI) (adj‐OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.03–1.78), and hypertension (adj‐OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.02–2.04). Patients who experienced HHF during follow‐up had higher rates of subsequent rehospitalization and death. Vorapaxar did not modify the risk of HHF. Conclusions In patients with stable atherosclerosis, prior HF, age, T2DM, polyvascular disease, CKD, BMI, prior MI, and hypertension are important predictors of HHF risk.

Patients with renal disease are often undertreated with antiplatelet therapy due to concerns about bleeding. Vorapaxar blocks platelet activation via the PAR-1 receptor and reduces cardiovascular events in patients with stable atherosclerosis, but with increased bleeding. We examined the efficacy and safety of vorapaxar in patients with impaired renal function. TRA2°P-TIMI 50 randomized patients with stable atherosclerosis to vorapaxar or. We analyzed patients with eGFR assessed who qualified with a history of MI or PAD (without stroke or TIA) (n = 19,932). Cox models assessed the risk of CV events and bleeding by quartile of baseline eGFR in the placebo arm and then by randomized assignment. Net clinical outcome (NCO) was predefined as CV death, MI, stroke, or GUSTO severe bleeding. Patients with lower eGFR tended to be older, female, have hypertension, hyperlipidemia or prior PAD. In the placebo arm, baseline eGFR in the lowest quartile was associated with a 26% higher risk of CV death, MI or stroke (Q1:Q4 HRadj 1.26, 1.03–1.55) and 73% higher risk of GUSTO moderate or severe bleeding (HRadj 1.73, 1.12–2.65). Vorapaxar reduced the risk of MACE to a similar extent (14–26%) across quartiles of baseline eGFR (P interaction = 0.70) and increased the relative risk of GUSTO moderate or severe bleeding (P interaction = 0.54). NCO was similar across quartiles of eGFR (P interaction = 0.65). Intensification of antiplatelet therapy with vorapaxar offers comparable net clinical benefit regardless of baseline renal function. These data support the use of more potent antiplatelet regimens in patients with renal dysfunction.

To the Editor: The AZALEA–TIMI 71 trial reported by Ruff et al. (Jan. 23 issue) 1 compared abelacimab with rivaroxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation. A key concern is whether rivaroxaban remains the most appropriate control. Before patients enrolled in this trial, the best available evidence suggested that apixaban may offer similar or better efficacy and a lower bleeding risk than rivaroxaban. 2,3 Although one could argue that there was clinical equipoise in the absence of a definitive head-to-head comparison trial, cumulative evidence continues to point toward the superiority of apixaban. 4,5 Under these circumstances, testing abelacimab against rivaroxaban may not address the . . .