Abstract 4138221: Ezetimibe plus statin combination vs. double dose statin for patients with dyslipidemia and ASCVD risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD). Statin is a crucial intervention to fix dyslipidemia and reduce the ASCVD risk. Still, there are several regimens to achieve blood lipid level targets, including increasing the statin dose or adding ezetimibe to the statin used. However, the best option between the two regimens is still a matter of debate. Research Question: We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ezetimibe plus any type of statin versus a double dose of the same statin in patients with ASCVD risk. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) obtained from PubMed, Embase Cochrane, Scopus, and WOS till December 2023. We used the random-effects model to report dichotomous outcomes using odds ratio (OR) and continuous outcomes using mean difference (MD), with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Forty-seven studies with a total of 18592 patients were included. Ezetimibe plus statin was associated with a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels [MD: -13.69 with 95% CI (-15.64, -11.74), P <0.01], and more patients achieving their targeted LDL levels [OR: 2.89 with 95% CI (2.40, 3.47), P <0.01]. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding any adverse events [OR: 0.98 with 95% CI (0.89, 1.08), P =0.62], and the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, major coronary events, or nonfatal stroke [OR: 0.72 with 95% CI (0.39, 1.32), P = 0.29], although there was a trend towards better results for patients with the combination regimen. Conclusion: Ezetimibe plus statin combination led to more reduced LDL levels and more patients achieving their goal levels than double dose statin, without a significant difference in the rate of any adverse events occurrence. More RCTs are mandatory to assess the effect of both regimens on major clinical events such as stroke, coronary events, and death.