Journal Article

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol as a therapeutic target for residual risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Ozaki, Yuichi, Kitabata, Hironori, Nishiguchi, Tsuyoshi, Ino, Yasushi, Kubo, Takashi, Akasaka, Takashi, Kashiwagi, Manabu, Matsuo, Yoshiki, Satogami, Keisuke, Kuroi, Akio, Hozumi, Takeshi, Taruya, Akira, Tanaka, Atsushi, Komukai, Kenichi

2018

Overview

The current guideline recommends lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for the primary management of dyslipidemia in patients at high-risk of cardiovascular events. Patients who have achieved LDL-C levels below the recommended targets may still experience cardiovascular events, suggesting additional therapeutic targets beyond LDL-C. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels had an impact on plaque stabilization in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study consisted of 90 ACS patients with untreated dyslipidemia. In optical coherence tomography (OCT) analysis, a plaque with fibrous cap thickness ≦160 μm was defined as a high-risk plaque. We registered one high-risk plaque per one patient by baseline OCT imaging, and then administrated high-intensity statin. Based on the follow-up OCT results, patients whose registered plaque was no longer high-risk plaque were classified into a responder group and the remains into a non-responder group. No differences were observed in the baseline LDL-C and HDL-C levels between the two groups. Reduction of LDL-C levels (δ LDL-C: -53 ± 21 mg/dL vs. -42 ± 29 mg/dL, p = 0.036) and increase of HDL-C levels (δ HDL-C: 2.5 ± 5.9 mg/dL vs. -0.3 ± 6.7 mg/dL, p = 0.039) were greater in the responder group. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, δ LDL-C levels (OR: 0.956, 95% CI: 0.921-0.993; p = 0.020) and δ HDL-C levels (OR: 1.143; 95% CI: 1.005-1.300, p = 0.041) were independent contributors for plaque stabilization. Increase of HDL-C levels is associated with plaque stabilization in patients with ACS. HDL-C could be a therapeutic target for residual risk management.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Acute coronary syndrome / Acute coronary syndromes / Atherosclerosis / Biology and Life Sciences / Cardiovascular disease / Cardiovascular diseases / Care and treatment / Catheters / Cholesterol / Coronary vessels / Density / Development and progression / Dyslipidemia / Health aspects / Health risks / Heart attacks / High density lipoprotein / High density lipoproteins / Hospitals / Lipids / Lipoproteins (high density) / Lipoproteins (low density) / Low density lipoprotein / Medical imaging / Medicine / Medicine and Health Sciences / Metabolic disorders / Methods / Optical Coherence Tomography / Optical tomography / Patients / Regression analysis / Research and Analysis Methods / Risk / Risk factors / Risk management / Stabilization / Statins / Therapeutic applications / Tomography