Triglyceride Levels and Residual Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Events and Death in Adults Receiving Statin Therapy for Primary or Secondary Prevention: Insights From the KP REACH Study
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Patients with risk factors or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remain at high-risk for ischemic events. Triglyceride levels may play a causal role. Methods and Results We performed a retrospective study of adults aged ≥45 years receiving statin therapy, with a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 41 to 100 mg/dL, and ≥1 risk factor or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease between 2010 and 2017. Outcomes included death, all-cause hospitalization, and major adverse cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral artery disease). The study sample included 373 389 primary prevention patients and 97 832 secondary prevention patients. The primary prevention cohort had a mean age of 65±10 years, with 51% women and 44% people of color, whereas the secondary prevention cohort had a mean age of 71±11 years, with 37% women and 32% people of color. Median triglyceride levels for the primary and secondary prevention cohorts were 122 mg/dL (interquartile range, 88-172 mg/dL) and 116 mg/dL (interquartile range, 84-164 mg/dL), respectively. In multivariable analyses, primary prevention patients with triglyceride levels ≥150 mg/dL were at lower adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.89-0.94) and higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05-1.24). In the secondary prevention cohort, patients with triglyceride levels ≥150 mg/dL were at lower adjusted risk of death (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.97) and higher risk of all-cause hospitalization (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) and major adverse cardiovascular events (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.05-1.24). Conclusions In a contemporary cohort receiving statin therapy, elevated triglyceride levels were associated with a greater risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events and lower risk of death.
Institutions: Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Amarin (United States), University of California, San Francisco, University of California System, Stanford Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Stanford University
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,025
OpenAlex ID: W3203105660