Target achievement with maximal statin-based lipid-lowering therapy in Korean patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: A study supported by the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND: Data on treatment results of lipid‐lowering therapy (LLT) in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are limited, particularly in Asian patients. HYPOTHESIS: We sought to evaluate the target achievement rate and associated variables in Korean patients with FH after maximal statin‐based LLT. METHODS: We enrolled 146 patients with heterozygous FH, and 90 patients were finally analyzed. Patients were initially prescribed rosuvastatin 10 mg or atorvastatin 20 mg, and the regimen was adjusted to achieve the low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) target of 100 mg/dL. The primary evaluation point was the achievement rate of the LDL‐C targets at 12 months: LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL and ≥50% LDL‐C reduction. The associations between clinical variables and target achievement were also analyzed. RESULTS: At 12 months, 58% of patients were receiving high‐intensity regimens, whereas 46% were receiving combination therapy. The mean pre‐ and post‐treatment LDL‐C levels were 229 and 118 mg/dL, respectively. Twenty‐eight percent of patients achieved LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL, and 47% achieved ≥50% LDL‐C reduction. Pretreatment LDL‐C and high‐intensity regimens indicated a negative tendency toward the attainment of LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL. Conversely, pretreatment LDL‐C and diabetes mellitus were positively associated with a higher rate of ≥50% LDL‐C reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The target achievement of LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL was low, and 50% LDL‐C reduction was moderately achieved in Korean patients with FH receiving maximal statin‐based LLT. Pretreatment LDL‐C levels and diabetes mellitus were associated with target achievement. Our results provide rare and informative data on FH treatment in Asian patients.