BACKGROUND Guidelines recommend nonstatin lipid-lowering agents in patients at very high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) if low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains ≥70 mg/dL on maximum tolerated statin treatment. It is uncertain if this approach benefits patients with LDL-C near 70 mg/dL. Lipoprotein(a) levels may influence residual risk. OBJECTIVES In a post hoc analysis of the ODYSSEY Outcomes (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) trial, the authors evaluated the benefit of adding the proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab to optimized statin treatment in patients with LDL-C levels near 70 mg/dL. Effects were evaluated according to concurrent lipoprotein(a) levels. METHODS ODYSSEY Outcomes compared alirocumab with placebo in 18,924 patients with recent acute coronary syndromes receiving optimized statin treatment. In 4,351 patients (23.0%), screening or randomization LDL-C was <70 mg/dL (median 69.4 mg/dL; interquartile range: 64.3–74.0 mg/dL); in 14,573 patients (77.0%), both determinations were ≥70 mg/dL (median 94.0 mg/dL; interquartile range: 83.2–111.0 mg/dL). RESULTS In the lower LDL-C subgroup, MACE rates were 4.2 and 3.1 per 100 patient-years among placebo-treated patients with baseline lipoprotein(a) greater than or less than or equal to the median (13.7 mg/dL). Corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.68 (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.52–0.90) and 1.11 (95% Cl: 0.83–1.49), with treatment-lipoprotein(a) interaction on MACE ( P interaction = 0.017). In the higher LDL-C subgroup, MACE rates were 4.7 and 3.8 per 100 patient-years among placebo-treated patients with lipoprotein(a) >13.7 mg/dL or ≤13.7 mg/dL; corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.82 (95% Cl: 0.72–0.92) and 0.89 (95% Cl: 0.75–1.06), with P interaction = 0.43. CONCLUSIONS In patients with recent acute coronary syndromes and LDL-C near 70 mg/dL on optimized statin therapy, proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibition provides incremental clinical benefit only when lipoprotein(a) concentration is at least mildly elevated. (ODYSSEY Outcomes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab; NCT01663402 )

Aims Statins reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and normal-to-moderately impaired renal function. It is not known whether proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors provide similar benefit across a range of renal function. We determined whether effects of the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab to reduce cardiovascular events and death after ACS are influenced by renal function. Methods and results ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared alirocumab with placebo in patients with recent ACS and dyslipidaemia despite intensive statin treatment. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) &lt;30 mL/min/1.73 m2 was exclusionary. In 18 918 patients, baseline eGFR was 82.8 ± 17.6 mL/min/1.73 m2, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 92 ± 31 mg/dL. At 36 months, alirocumab decreased LDL-C by 48.5% vs. placebo but did not affect eGFR (P = 0.65). Overall, alirocumab reduced risk of the primary outcome (coronary heart disease death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, or unstable angina requiring hospitalization) with fewer deaths. There was no interaction between continuous eGFR and treatment on the primary outcome or death (P = 0.14 and 0.59, respectively). Alirocumab reduced primary outcomes in patients with eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 7470; hazard ratio 0.784, 95% confidence interval 0.670–0.919; P = 0.003) and 60 to &lt;90 (n = 9326; 0.833, 0.731–0.949; P = 0.006), but not in those with eGFR &lt; 60 (n = 2122; 0.974, 0.805–1.178; P = 0.784). Adverse events other than local injection-site reactions were similar in both groups across all categories of eGFR. Conclusions In patients with recent ACS, alirocumab was associated with fewer cardiovascular events and deaths across the range of renal function studied, with larger relative risk reductions in those with eGFR &gt; 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Background: People with diabetes and recent ACS are at higher risk for ischemic CV events and derive greater benefit from intensive lipid-lowering therapy than those without diabetes. Effect of PCSK9 inhibition in patients with recent ACS and diabetes is unknown. Methods: Alirocumab (ALI) is a fully human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9. In ODYSSEY OUTCOMES, 18,924 patients with recent ACS and LDL-C≥70mg/dL on a maximum-tolerated dose of atorvastatin or rosuvastatin were randomly assigned to ALI 75mg or placebo SC every 2 weeks. ALI blindly increased to 150mg or decreased to placebo to achieve an LDL-C of 25-50mg/dL. Primary efficacy endpoint was time to first MACE: CHD death, nonfatal MI, ischemic stroke or hospitalization for unstable angina. This prespecified analysis reports efficacy and safety by baseline glucometabolic status, including new-onset diabetes (NOD). Results: Table reports incidence of MACE by assigned treatment and baseline glucometabolic status. Overall ALI reduced MACE, without evidence of effect modification by baseline glucometabolic status: a greater absolute risk reduction was observed with ALI in those with diabetes. NOD was not increased with ALI. Conclusion: Patients with recent ACS and diabetes derived greater absolute benefit from ALI added to maximum-tolerated statin. No increase in NOD was seen with ALI (NCT01663402).CategoryN (% of cohort)ARRHazard ratio (95% CI)PinteractionMACE cumulative incidenceAlirocumab n/N (%)Placebo n/N (%)All subjects18,924 (100)903/9462 (9.5)1052/9462 (11.1)1.60.85 (0.78, 0.93)NADiabetes5444 (28.8)380/2693 (14.1)452/2751 (16.4)2.30.84 (0.74, 0.97)0.98 Prediabetes8246 (43.6)331/4130 (8.0)380/4116 (9.2)1.20.86 (0.74, 1.00)Normoglycemia5234 (27.7)192/2639 (7.3)220/2595 (8.5)1.20.85 (0.70, 1.03)Median follow-up: 34 months. ARR, absolute risk reduction; NA, not applicable. Disclosure K.K. Ray: Consultant; Self; Amgen Inc., Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Sanofi. Consultant; Self; The Medicines Company. Research Support; Self; Amgen Inc., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc., AstraZeneca, Esperion Therapeutics, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.. Research Support; Self; Pfizer Inc.. Consultant; Self; Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.. Research Support; Self; Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. H. Colhoun: Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Bayer AG. Research Support; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Other Relationship; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Advisory Panel; Self; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Research Support; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Other Relationship; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Research Support; Self; Pfizer Inc., Roche Pharma. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Roche Pharma. Research Support; Self; Sanofi-Aventis. Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi-Aventis. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Sanofi. Other Relationship; Self; Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc. M. Szarek: Consultant; Self; Sanofi, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Baxter, Resverlogix Corp. M. Baccara-Dinet: Employee; Self; Sanofi. D.L. Bhatt: Research Support; Self; Amarin Corporation, Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Chiesi USA, Inc., Eisai Inc., Ethicon US, LLC., Forest Laboratories, Inc., Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ischemix, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Pfizer Inc., Roche Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis, The Medicines Company. Other Relationship; Self; American Heart Association. V. Bittner: Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Bayer AG, Esperion Therapeutics, Amgen Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Dalcor. A.J. Budaj: Other Relationship; Self; Sanofi-Aventis, AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc.. Consultant; Self; Bayer AG. Other Relationship; Self; Novartis Pharma K.K., Eisai Co., Ltd.. R. Diaz: None. S.G. Goodman: Research Support; Self; Amgen Inc.. Consultant; Self; Amgen Inc.. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca. Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca. Research Support; Self; Bayer AG. Consultant; Self; Bayer AG. Research Support; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Research Support; Self; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Consultant; Self; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Research Support; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Consultant; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Research Support; Self; GlaxoSmithKline plc.. Consultant; Self; Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Research Support; Self; Pfizer Inc.. Consultant; Self; Pfizer Inc.. Research Support; Self; Sanofi. Consultant; Self; Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Research Support; Self; CSL Behring. C.G. Hanotin: Employee; Self; Sanofi. J. Jukema: Research Support; Self; Sanofi-Aventis, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amgen Inc. V. Loizeau: Employee; Self; Sanofi. R.D. Lopes: Consultant; Self; Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Other Relationship; Self; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Consultant; Self; Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited. Other Relationship; Self; GlaxoSmithKline plc., Medtronic. Consultant; Self; Merck & Co., Inc.. Other Relationship; Self; Pfizer Inc. A. Moryusef: Employee; Self; Sanofi. R. Pordy: Employee; Self; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. A.D. Ristic: None. M. Roe: None. J. Tuñón: Speaker's Bureau; Self; Sanofi-Aventis. Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi-Aventis. Other Relationship; Self; Sanofi-Aventis. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Amgen Inc. H.D. White: Other Relationship; Self; AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company. Research Support; Self; National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Other Relationship; Self; Omthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Eisai Inc.. Research Support; Self; DalCor Pharma UK Inc. Advisory Panel; Self; Sirtex, Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.. Other Relationship; Self; Luitpold Pharmaceuticals Ltd., CSL Behring, Sanofi-Aventis. G.G. Schwartz: Research Support; Self; Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Resverlogix Corp. P.G. Steg: Consultant; Self; Amarin Corporation, AstraZeneca. Research Support; Self; Bayer AG. Consultant; Self; Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Advisory Panel; Self; Novartis AG. Consultant; Self; Pfizer Inc., Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Sanofi, Servier. Consultant; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc..

Colour Doppler echocardiographic (CDE) assessment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has been limited by the lack of an accepted model against which it can be compared. Angiography is said to be inadequate because catheter placement across the tricuspid valve could induce artifactual TR. Thirty-five consecutive patients with left-sided valvulopathy and recent heart failure were studied. Angiography was validated by CDE, which demonstrated that catheter placement across the tricuspid valve did not increase the size of the regurgitant jet in the first 30 cases. All the patients were studied with CDE immediately before performing the angiography in order to compare the findings of both techniques. From all the CDE parameters measured among the angiographic groups, the jet area overlapped the least (P = 0.024). The diameters of the right cardiac chambers were larger in angiographically severe cases (P = < 0.003 to 0.041), and a scale of severity that combined jet area and right atrium area showed an excellent correlation with angiography (r = 0.924; P < 0.001). Furthermore, maximal instant systolic gradients between the right cavities, estimated by catheterization, were lower in severe cases (P = 0.038). Assessment of these gradients by continuous Doppler can enhance recognition of severe TR. The analysis of jet area, right atrium area and regurgitant gradient by CDE can provide excellent assessment of TR.

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