Cited by 984Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular HealthAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular DiseasesLipid metabolism and disorders

Lipoprotein(a), PCSK9 Inhibition, and Cardiovascular Risk: Insights From the FOURIER Trial

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O’Donoghue, Michelle L., Fazio, Sergio, Giugliano, Robert P., Stroes, Erik S.G., Kanevsky, Estella, Gouni-Berthold, Ioanna, Im, KyungAh, Lira Pineda, Armando +12 more·2019·Circulation

Abstract

Background: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] may play a causal role in atherosclerosis. PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9) inhibitors have been shown to significantly reduce plasma Lp(a) concentration. However, the relationship between Lp(a) levels, PCSK9 inhibition, and cardiovascular risk reduction remains undefined. Methods: Lp(a) was measured in 25 096 patients in the FOURIER trial (Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research with PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects with Elevated Risk), a randomized trial of evolocumab versus placebo in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (median follow-up, 2.2 years). Cox models were used to assess the independent prognostic value of Lp(a) and the efficacy of evolocumab for coronary risk reduction by baseline Lp(a) concentration. Results: The median (interquartile range) baseline Lp(a) concentration was 37 (13–165) nmol/L. In the placebo arm, patients with baseline Lp(a) in the highest quartile had a higher risk of coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, or urgent revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio quartile 4: quartile 1, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01–1.48) independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. At 48 weeks, evolocumab significantly reduced Lp(a) by a median (interquartile range) of 26.9% (6.2%–46.7%). The percent change in Lp(a) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 48 weeks in patients taking evolocumab was moderately positively correlated ( r =0.37; 95% CI, 0.36–0.39; P <0.001). Evolocumab reduced the risk of coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, or urgent revascularization by 23% (hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67–0.88) in patients with a baseline Lp(a) >median, and by 7% (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.80–1.08; P interaction=0.07) in those ≤median. Coupled with the higher baseline risk, the absolute risk reductions, and number needed to treat over 3 years were 2.49% and 40 versus 0.95% and 105, respectively. Conclusions: Higher levels of Lp(a) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in patients with established cardiovascular disease irrespective of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Evolocumab significantly reduced Lp(a) levels, and patients with higher baseline Lp(a) levels experienced greater absolute reductions in Lp(a) and tended to derive greater coronary benefit from PCSK9 inhibition. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01764633.

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Crossref · 10.1161/circulationaha.118.037184

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  • In the FOURIER trial, greater MACE reductions were seen among patients whose highly elevated Lp(a) levels were reduced by evolocumab.

    “In the FOURIER trial, greater MACE reductions were seen among patients whose highly elevated Lp(a) levels were reduced by evolocumab [193].”

    From Established and Emerging Lipid-Lowering Drugs for Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention (2023) · cites this paper as [193]

    The Abstract and ‘Effect of Evolocumab on Lp(a) Concentration’ section (pages not available) report that evolocumab lowered Lp(a) and that patients with higher baseline Lp(a) had greater absolute reductions and tended to have greater reductions in major coronary events. The claim overstates that qualified finding as a definite greater MACE reduction and describes the group as having ‘highly elevated’ Lp(a), although the main comparison was above versus at or below the median. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • PCSK9 inhibition with evolocumab provides a modest (16%) reduction in Lp(a) levels in patients with high Lp(a) levels.

    “This finding has also been supported by randomised control trials which shown that PCSK9 inhibition with evolocumab provides modest (16%) reduction in Lp(a) levels in patients with high Lp(a) levels43.”

    From Genetic insights into causal effects of lipids and lipid-modifying targets on calcific aortic valve stenosis: a Mendelian randomized study (2025) · cites this paper as [43]

    The Abstract and “Effect of Evolocumab on Lp(a) Concentration” report that evolocumab lowered Lp(a), but the median reduction was 26.9% overall, not 16%. That section says percentage reductions decreased as baseline Lp(a) increased; its 16% figure refers to the overall reduction in major coronary events, not Lp(a) levels. (LLM, conf=0.91)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The net effect is a muted class response, with Lp(a) typically lowering around 20 to 30%, well below the reductions seen with LDL-C and ApoB.

    “The net effect is a muted class response, with Lp(a) typically lowering around 20 to 30%, well below the reductions seen with LDL C and ApoB [25].”

    From Oral PCSK9 inhibitors for elevated LDL-C: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials (2026) · cites this paper as [25]

    The introduction reports that PCSK9 inhibitors reduced Lp(a) by approximately 25–30% in phase 2 trials, and the Effect of Evolocumab on Lp(a) Concentration section reports a median 26.9% reduction at 48 weeks. The paper discusses LDL-C changes but does not establish the claimed percentage-reduction comparison with both LDL-C and ApoB. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Recent studies with PCSK9 inhibitors revealed that patients with higher baseline Lp(a) concentration experienced greater absolute reductions in Lp(a) and tended to derive greater clinical benefit from PCSK9 inhibition.

    “Although recent studies with PCSK9 inhibitors were not designed to target patients with high Lp(a) concentrations, they nevertheless revealed that patients with higher baseline Lp(a) concentration experienced greater absolute reductions in Lp(a) and tended to derive greater clinical benefit from PCSK9 inhibition [27,28].”
  • Evolocumab in FOURIER reduced Lp(a) by a median of 26.9% at 48 weeks, and alirocumab in ODYSSEY OUTCOMES showed a median relative reduction of −23% by 4 months.

    “evolocumab in the FOURIER trial reduced Lp(a) by a median of 26.9% at 48 weeks[2,25], and alirocumab in ODYSSEY OUTCOMES showed a median relative reduction of −23% by 4 months[3,26].”

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Authors
O’Donoghue, M. L., Fazio, S., Giugliano, R. P., Stroes, E. S. G., Kanevsky, E., Gouni-Berthold, I., Im, K., Lira Pineda, A., Wasserman, S. M., Češka, R., Ezhov, M. V., Jukema, J. W., Jensen, H. K., Tokgözoğlu, S. L., Mach, F., Huber, K., Sever, P. S., Keech, A. C., Pedersen, T. R., & Sabatine, M. S.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Oregon Health & Science University (US)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Polyclinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany (I.G.-B.).
  • Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA (A.L.P., S.M.W.).
  • Amgen (United States) (US)
  • Charles University (CZ)
  • National Cardiology Research Center, Moscow, Russia (M.V.E.).
  • Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Cardiovascular Division, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (S.L.T.).
  • University of Geneva (CH)
  • Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien (AT)
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • Oslo University Hospital (NO)
Venue
Circulation
Published
2019-03-19
Volume
139
Issue
12
Pages
1483-1492
ISSN
  • 0009-7322 (ISSN-L)
  • 1524-4539
OpenAlex
W2940327706
Cited by
984
References
33
Citations by year
2026: 133 · 2025: 153 · 2024: 157 · 2023: 134 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 100 · 2020: 122 · 2019: 64 · 2018: 1
FWCI
97.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Circulation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Abbott Laboratories
  • Amgen
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Pfizer
  • AstraZeneca
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Sanofi
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital
  • Gilead Sciences
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
  • Univerzita Karlova v Praze
  • Aarhus Universitet
  • Aarhus Universitetshospital
  • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
  • Intarcia Therapeutics
  • Amarin Corporation
  • Medicines Company
  • Mylan
  • MyoKardia
  • Imperial College London
  • Universiteit Leiden
  • Daiichi-Sankyo
  • Eisai
  • Novo Nordisk
  • Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum
  • Universitetet i Oslo
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi
  • Université de Genève
  • Universität zu Köln
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF18OC0031258)
  • Servier
  • Esperion Therapeutics
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Sydney Medical School
  • Janssen Research and Development
  • Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Lipid metabolism and disorders
Keywords
lipoprotein(a), PCSK9 inhibitors, evolocumab, cardiovascular risk, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, LDL cholesterol, prognostic factors, FOURIER trial, LDL cholesterol lowering
MeSH terms
Proprotein Convertase 9, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anticholesteremic Agents, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Cholesterol, LDL, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Placebo Effect, Proportional Hazards Models, Treatment Outcome, Lipoprotein(a), Atherosclerosis, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized

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