Abstract

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) provides an integrated measure of atherogenic risk. Whether apoB levels and apoB lowering hold incremental predictive information on residual risk after acute coronary syndrome beyond that provided by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is uncertain.The ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) compared the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18?924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome and elevated atherogenic lipoproteins despite optimized statin therapy. Primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; coronary heart disease death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal/nonfatal ischemic stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina). Associations between baseline apoB or apoB at 4 months and MACEs were assessed in adjusted Cox proportional hazards and propensity score-matched models.Median follow-up was 2.8 years. In proportional hazards analysis in the placebo group, MACE incidence increased across increasing baseline apoB strata (3.2 [95% CI, 2.9-3.6], 4.0 [95% CI, 3.6-4.5], and 5.5 [95% CI, 5.0-6.1] events per 100 patient-years in strata <75, 75-<90, =90 mg/dL, respectively; Ptrend<0.0001) and after adjustment for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Ptrend=0.035). Higher baseline apoB stratum was associated with greater relative (Ptrend<0.0001) and absolute reduction in MACEs with alirocumab versus placebo. In the alirocumab group, the incidence of MACEs after month 4 decreased monotonically across decreasing achieved apoB strata (4.26 [95% CI, 3.78-4.79], 3.09 [95% CI, 2.69-3.54], and 2.41 [95% CI, 2.11-2.76] events per 100 patient-years in strata =50, >35-<50, and =35 mg/dL, respectively). Compared with propensity score-matched patients from the placebo group, treatment hazard ratios for alirocumab also decreased monotonically across achieved apoB strata. Achieved apoB was predictive of MACEs after adjustment for achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol but not vice versa.In patients with recent acute coronary syndrome and elevated atherogenic lipoproteins, MACEs increased across baseline apoB strata. Alirocumab reduced MACEs across all strata of baseline apoB, with larger absolute reductions in patients with higher baseline levels. Lower achieved apoB was associated with lower risk of MACEs, even after accounting for achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, indicating that apoB provides incremental information. Achievement of an apoB level =35 mg/dL may reduce lipoprotein-attributable residual risk after acute coronary syndrome.URL: https://www.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01663402.

View details for DOI 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057807

View details for PubMedID 35770629