1.
Low high-density lipoprotein level is correlated with the severity of COVID-19 patients: an observational study.
Wang, G, Zhang, Q, Zhao, X, Dong, H, Wu, C, Wu, F, Yu, B, Lv, J, Zhang, S, Wu, G, et al
Lipids in health and disease. 2020;(1):204
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of the study is to describe the blood lipid levels of patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to analyze the correlation between blood lipid levels and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients. METHODS In the clinical retrospective analysis, a total of 228 adults infected with COVID-19 were enrolled between January 17, 2020 and March 14, 2020, in Changsha, China. One thousand one hundred and forty healthy participants with matched age and gender were used as control. Median with interquartile range and Mann-Whitney test were adopted to describe and analyze clinical data. The Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the correlation between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the severity of COVID-19. RESULTS Compared with control, COVID-19 patients showed significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (TC) [median, 3.76 vs 4.65 mmol/L, P = 0.031], triglyceride [median, 1.08 vs 1.21 mmol/L, P < 0.001], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) [median, 2.63 vs 2.83 mmol/L, P < 0.001], and HDL-C [median, 0.78 vs 1.37 mmol/L, P < 0.001], while compared with non-severe patients, severe COVID-19 patients only presented lower levels of HDL-C [median, 0.69 vs 0.79 mmol/L, P = 0.032]. In comparison with patients with high HDL-C, patients with low HDL-C showed a higher proportion of male (69.57% vs 45.60%, P = 0.004), higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (median, 27.83 vs 12.56 mg/L, P < 0.001) and higher proportion of severe events (36.96% vs 14.84%, P = 0.001). Moreover, patients with low HDL-C at admission showed a higher risk of developing severe events compared with those with high HDL-C (Log Rank P = 0.009). After adjusting for age, gender and underlying diseases, they still had elevated possibility of developing severe cases than those with high HDL-C (HR 2.827, 95% CI 1.190-6.714, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS HDL-C level was lower in COVID-19 adult patients, and low HDL-C in COVID-19 patients was correlated with a higher risk of developing severe events.
2.
ODYSSEY EAST: Alirocumab efficacy and safety vs ezetimibe in high cardiovascular risk patients with hypercholesterolemia and on maximally tolerated statin in China, India, and Thailand.
Han, Y, Chen, J, Chopra, VK, Zhang, S, Su, G, Ma, C, Huang, Z, Ma, Y, Yao, Z, Yuan, Z, et al
Journal of clinical lipidology. 2020;(1):98-108.e8
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab significantly reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). OBJECTIVE This study (ODYSSEY EAST) assessed the efficacy and safety of alirocumab vs ezetimibe in high cardiovascular risk patients from Asia. METHODS Patients (n = 615) from China, India, and Thailand with hypercholesterolemia at high cardiovascular risk on maximally tolerated statin were randomized (2:1) to alirocumab (75 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W]; with dose increase to 150 mg Q2W at week 12 if week 8 LDL-C was >1.81 mmol/L [>70 mg/dL]) or ezetimibe (10 mg daily) for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was percentage change in calculated LDL-C from baseline to week 24. Safety was assessed throughout. RESULTS Baseline data were similar in both groups. LDL-C levels were reduced from baseline to week 24 by 56.0% and 20.3% in the alirocumab and ezetimibe groups, respectively (P < .0001 vs ezetimibe). Overall, 18.8% of alirocumab-treated patients received a dose increase to 150 mg Q2W. At week 24, 85.1% of alirocumab-treated and 40.5% of ezetimibe-treated patients reached LDL-C <1.81 mmol/L (<70 mg/dL, P < .0001 vs ezetimibe). Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 68.5% of alirocumab-treated and 63.1% of ezetimibe-treated patients, with upper respiratory tract infection the most common (alirocumab: 13.3%; ezetimibe: 14.1%). Injection-site reactions occurred more frequently in alirocumab-treated patients (2.7%) than in ezetimibe-treated patients (1.0%). CONCLUSIONS Alirocumab significantly reduced LDL-C vs ezetimibe in high cardiovascular risk patients from Asia and was generally well tolerated. These findings are consistent with previous ODYSSEY studies.