Early Initiation of PCSK9 Inhibitor Therapy Versus Placebo in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In patients with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9is) have shown a 50% to 60% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from baseline when added to high-intensity statin therapy. However, less is known about the impact of PCSK9is in the setting of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing PCSK9is with placebo in the setting of ACS added to guideline-directed high-intensity or maximally tolerated statin therapy. We included randomized controlled trials with initiation of a PCSK9i or placebo within 1 week of presentation or percutaneous coronary intervention for ACS. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central were searched. This study followed the Cochrane and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) recommendations. A total of 6 randomized controlled trials were included, with a total of 996 patients, of whom 503 (50.5%) received PCSK9is. The mean follow-up ranged from 4 to 52 weeks. The LDL-C (mean difference [MD] −44.0 mg/100 ml, CI −54.3 to −33.8, p <0.001) and lipoprotein (a) levels (MD −24.0 nmol/L, confidence interval [CI] −43.0 to −4.9, p = 0.01) were significantly lower at follow-up with PCSK9is. Similarly, the total cholesterol (MD −49.2 mg/100 ml, CI −59.0 to −39.3), triglycerides (MD −19.0 mg/100 ml, CI −29.9 to −8.2), and apolipoprotein B (MD −33.3 mg/100 ml, CI −44.4 to −22.1) were significantly reduced with PCSK9is. In conclusion, in patients with ACS, early initiation of PCSK9i added to statin significantly reduces LDL-C and lipoprotein (a) levels compared with placebo. Whether the differences in these atherogenic lipoproteins translate into a reduction in clinical end points is yet to be determined.