Study Cohort
A total of 7556 AMI patients from the biobank database between January 2016 and December 2020 were screened for eligibility. After excluding those without revascularization or Statin based therapy, the remaining 5802 Statin users, 801 Statin plus Ezetimibe users and 170 Statin plus Evolocumab users (including 95 users without and 75 users with Ezetimibe), were selected for this study. Then, 1st and 3rd-month follow-up data were collected and analysed, including in-hospital mortality, readmission rate and lipid profiles(Fig.1).
As admission LDL level and crowd size vary among different lipid-lowering strategy groups, propensity score match(PSM) was performed for further analysis. 1st PSM based on Statin plus Evolocumab therapy and of these, 95 users were successfully matched with 190 Statin users and 190 Statin plus Ezetimibe users respectively. 2nd PSM based on Statin plus Ezetimibe plus Evolocumab(triple) therapy and of these, 75 users were successfully matched with 150 Statin users and 150 Statin plus Ezetimibe users respectively. The matched groups were well-balanced in demographic and clinical characteristics(Appendix Table1 and 2, appendix Fig1 and 2).
Baseline Characteristics and short-term follow-up in the whole cohort.
In the whole cohort, the mean ages were 62.90±11.91,58.73±12.16, 57.72±11.07 and 54.38±11.77 years among Statin, Statin plus Ezetimibe, Statin plus Evolocumab and triple therapy groups. The admission LDL was 2.25±0.74, 2.95±1.03, 3.24±0.98 and 3.90±1.45 mmol/L respectively(Table.1), which is also inconsistent with the basic strategy that higher LDL level requires intensive lipid-lowering therapy in AMI patients. According to 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias9, for patients at very high cardiovascular risk, LDL reduction of ≥50% from baseline and an LDL goal of <1.4 mmol/L (<55 mg/dL) are recommended. We further analysed the control situation of LDL(<1.4 mmol/L) among each group. On admission, the target rate was 11.8%, 4.0%, 3.2% and 1.3% among each group; In the 1st month follow-up, around 37.0%, 28.8%, 79.5% and 55.3% of the whole patients reached treatment goal among each group and after 3month, 40.6%, 29.3%, 80.0% and 43.8% respectively(Table 1). Despite higher LDL levels at admission, AMI patients achieved a promising control rate in the short-term PCSK9i treatment.
Around 1.9% AMI patients died with Statin alone therapy and 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.0% among Statin plus Ezetimibe, Evolocumab dual and triple group during the 3month follow-up. The readmission rate was 4.0% and 5.3% with PCSK9i treatment and more than 10%, about 10.4% in Statin users and 14.7% in Statin plus Ezetimibe users respectively.
Statin plus Evolocumab therapy(dual therapy) based PSM analysis
95 Statin plus Evolocumab users, 190 Statin users and 190 Statin plus Ezetimibe users were well matched for this PSM analysis. The mean age was 59.42±11.66, 58.62±12.73 and 58.53±10.63 among each group and the admission LDL was 3.11±1.02,3.24±1.13, and 3.24±0.98 mmol/L respectively after PSM adjustments.
In admission, 0.5%, 2.1% and 3.2% AMI patients reached target LDL level among Statin, Statin plus Ezetimibe, Statin plus Evolocumab group. In the 1st month follow-up, the target rate was 31.0%, 21.3%, 79.5% and 29.4%, 21.4%, 80.0% after 3month respectively(Fig3.A).The mean LDL level was significantly decreased in Statin plus Evolocumab users compared to other two groups, with 0.92±0.62, 1.58±0.44, 1.96±0.82 mmol/L in 1st month and 1.17±0.73, 1.61±0.49, 2.10±0.82 month in the 3rd month. (Table2 and Fig3.B). Also, a similar trend was observed in ApoB level, with 0.39±0.20,0.64±0.16, 0.70±0.22 g/L in 1st month and 0.46±0.20, 0.59±0.15, 0.75±0.22g/L in the 3rd month follow-up respectively. Around 4.0% AMI patients were re-hospitalized with Statin plus Evolocumab therapy, and 11.6%,10.5% readmission rate in the other two groups during the short-term follow-up.
Statin plus Ezetimibe plus Evolocumab therapy(triple therapy) based PSM analysis
In the 7556 AMI patients, 75 patients received triple therapy (Statin plus Ezetimibe plus Evolocumab) and were well matched with 150 Statin users and 150 Statin plus Ezetimibe users. The mean age was 52.59±11.92, 53.57±11.29 and 53.67±11.86 among each group and the admission LDL was 3.59±0.95,3.82±1.20, and 3.90±1.45 mmol/L respectively after PSM adjustments.
Around 1.3%, 0% and 1.3% AMI patients reached target LDL level among Statin, Statin plus Ezetimibe, triple therapy group during admission. In the 1st month follow-up, the achieved rate was 10.7%, 28.6%, 55.3% and 0.0%, 17.9%, 43.8% after 3month respectively(Fig4.A).Also, the mean LDL level was significantly decreased in triple therapy patients compared to the other two groups, with 1.43±1.06,1.96±0.49,2.04±0.81 mmol/L in the 1st month and 1.40±0.50, 2.06±0.42, 2.37±1.13 mmol/L after 3-month follow-up(Table3 and Fig4.B). Additionally, a similar decrease was observed in ApoB level, triple medication users reached 0.59±0.29 0.61±0.20g/L in 1st month and 3rd month, compared to 0.75±0.17, 0.80±0.13 g/L in Statin group and 0.76±0.20, 0.83±0.29 g/L in Statin plus Ezetimibe group. 5.3% AMI patients re-hospitalized with triple therapy, which was 6.7% and 6.0% lower than those in Statin and Statin plus Ezetimibe users.