The LAPLACE-2 study, evaluating the effect of evolocumab (Repatha) or ezetimibe added to statin therapy on LDL-C lowering in patients with hypercholesterolemia, was published on January 1, 2014. This publication detailed the findings from the randomized trial, contributing to the understanding of lipid management strategies.
Background
Hypercholesterolemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Management often involves statin therapy, with additional agents sometimes required to achieve target LDL-C levels. The LAPLACE-2 study investigated further LDL-C reduction in patients already on moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy who still required additional lipid lowering.
Trial design
The LAPLACE-2 (LDL-C Assessment With PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibody Inhibition Combined With Statin Therapy-2) study was a randomized trial that assessed the impact of adding evolocumab or ezetimibe to existing moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy. The trial enrolled patients diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, with its primary objective being to evaluate the extent of LDL-C lowering achieved with these additions compared to statin monotherapy.
Key results
The published results of the LAPLACE-2 study demonstrated an effect of evolocumab or ezetimibe, when added to moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy, on LDL-C lowering in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Specific quantitative outcomes, such as percentage reduction in LDL-C levels and statistical significance, were detailed in the full publication.
What this means
The publication of the LAPLACE-2 study provided important data on strategies for further reducing LDL-C in patients with hypercholesterolemia who are already receiving statin therapy. The findings contributed to the understanding of how agents like evolocumab and ezetimibe can be utilized as add-on treatments to achieve more aggressive lipid-lowering goals, potentially impacting clinical practice for managing high cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular risk.
Source
The information for this article is based on the publication titled 'Effect of evolocumab or ezetimibe added to moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy on LDL-C lowering in patients with hypercholesterolemia: the LAPLACE-2 ran (JAMA)', which appeared on January 1, 2014, on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.