Lipid-rich plaque density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in statin-treated versus statin-naïve patients: a post hoc analysis of the LRP study

Introduction Anecdotal series have suggested little correlation between the lipid content of the coronary arteries, the maximal Lipid Core Burden Index within any 4 mm segment (maxLCBI4mm) as measured by near infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) or its change over time, and the serum-measured low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), but they have shown modest association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)12. Whether these relationships hold in a larger data set remains unknown. The Lipid Rich Plaque (LRP) study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02033694) showed that lipid-rich plaques (maxLCBI4mm >400) were associated with a greater incidence of non-culprit major adverse cardiovascular events3. The current subanalysis ...