A resilient type of familial hypercholesterolaemia: case-control follow-up of genetically characterized older patients in the SAFEHEART cohort.

AIMS: Knowledge of the features of patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) who are protected from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is important for the clinical and prognostic care of this apparently high-risk condition. Our aim was to investigate the determinant and characteristics of patients with FH who are protected from ASCVD and have normal life expectancy, so-called 'resilient' FH (R-FH). METHODS AND RESULTS: Spanish Familial Hypercholesterolaemia cohort study (SAFEHEART) is an open, multicentre, nation-wide, long-term prospective cohort study in genetically defined patients with heterozygous FH in Spain. Patients in the registry who at the time of analysis were at least 65 years or those who would have reached that age had they not died from an ASCVD event were analysed as a case-control study. Resilient FH was defined as the presence of a pathogenic mutation causative of FH in a patient aged ≥65 years without clinical ASCVD. Nine hundred and thirty registrants with FH met the study criteria. A defective low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor mutation, higher plasma level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), younger age, female gender, absence of hypertension, and lower plasma lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] concentration were independently predictive of R-FH. In a second model, higher levels of HDL-C and lower 10-year score in SAFEHEART-RE were also independently predictive of R-FH. CONCLUSION: Resilient FH may be typified as being female and having a defective LDL-receptor mutation, higher levels of plasma HDL-C, lower levels of Lp(a), and an absence of hypertension. The implications of this type of FH for clinical practice guidelines and the value for service design and optional care of FH remains to be established. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02693548.

Incidencia de eventos cardiovasculares y cambios en el riesgo estimado y en el tratamiento de la hipercolesterolemia familiar: registro SAFEHEART / Incidence of cardiovascular events and changes in the estimated risk and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia: the SAFEHEART registry

INTRODUCCIÓN Y OBJETIVOS: El estudio SAFEHEART se diseñó para analizar la situación y mejorar el conocimiento de la hipercolesterolemia familiar heterocigota (HFH) en España. Nuestro objetivo es determinar la tasa de incidencia de eventos cardiovasculares, el riesgo estimado de sufrir un evento y su modificación, el empleo de tratamiento hipolipemiante y la consecución de objetivos de colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad en pacientes con HFH. MÉTODOS: El SAFEHEART es un estudio prospectivo de cohorte, abierto, multicéntrico, de escala nacional, con seguimiento protocolizado a largo plazo en una población de HFH caracterizada molecularmente. Se analizó a los pacientes mayores de 18 años con seguimiento completo. RESULTADOS: El análisis en este estudio se hizo con 2.648 pacientes con HFH. La mediana de seguimiento fue de 6,6 (4,8-9,7) años. La tasa de incidencia general de eventos cardiovasculares fue de 1,3 eventos/100 pacientes-año. El riesgo estimado de sufrir un evento cardiovascular a 10 años se redujo en el seguimiento, y pasó del 1,6 al 1,3% (p <0,001). En el último seguimiento, el 20,6 y el 22,2% de los pacientes en prevención primaria y secundaria consiguieron un colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad <100 y <70 mg/dl respectivamente. CONCLUSIONES: En este estudio se muestra la tasa de incidencia de eventos cardiovasculares, el riesgo estimado de sufrir un evento cardiovascular en la mayor población de pacientes con HF en España, así como su modificación, la consecución de objetivos en colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad y su tratamiento. Aunque el riesgo cardiovascular de la HFH es elevado, un adecuado tratamiento reduce la probabilidad de sufrir un evento

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The SAFEHEART study was designed to analyze the situation of familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (FHH) and improve knowledge of this disease in Spain. Our objective was to determine the incidence rate of cardiovascular events, the estimated risk of developing an event and its modification, the use of lipid-lowering treatment, and the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in patients with FHH. METHODS: SAFEHEART is a prospective, open, multicenter, nationwide cohort study, with long-term protocol-based follow-up in a population of individuals with molecularly-characterized FHH. We analyzed patients older than 18 years with complete follow-up. RESULTS: We included 2648 patients with FHH. The median follow-up was 6.6 (4.8-9.7) years. The overall incidence rate of cardiovascular events was 1.3 events/100 patient-years. After the follow-up, the 10-year estimated risk of developing a cardiovascular event was reduced from 1.6% to 1.3% (P <.001). In the last follow-up, 20.6% and 22.2% of the patients in primary and secondary prevention achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values <100mg/dL and <70mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study was performed in the largest population of patients with FHH in Spain. We identified the incidence rate of cardiovascular events, the estimated risk of developing a cardiovascular event and its modification, the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets, and the therapeutic management in this population. Although the cardiovascular risk of FHH is high, appropriate treatment reduces the likelihood of an event

Incidence of cardiovascular events and changes in the estimated risk and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia: the SAFEHEART registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The SAFEHEART study was designed to analyze the situation of familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (FHH) and improve knowledge of this disease in Spain. Our objective was to determine the incidence rate of cardiovascular events, the estimated risk of developing an event and its modification, the use of lipid-lowering treatment, and the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in patients with FHH. METHODS: SAFEHEART is a prospective, open, multicenter, nationwide cohort study, with long-term protocol-based follow-up in a population of individuals with molecularly-characterized FHH. We analyzed patients older than 18 years with complete follow-up. RESULTS: We included 2648 patients with FHH. The median follow-up was 6.6 (4.8-9.7) years. The overall incidence rate of cardiovascular events was 1.3 events/100 patient-years. After the follow-up, the 10-year estimated risk of developing a cardiovascular event was reduced from 1.6% to 1.3% (P <.001). In the last follow-up, 20.6% and 22.2% of the patients in primary and secondary prevention achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values <100mg/dL and <70mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study was performed in the largest population of patients with FHH in Spain. We identified the incidence rate of cardiovascular events, the estimated risk of developing a cardiovascular event and its modification, the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets, and the therapeutic management in this population. Although the cardiovascular risk of FHH is high, appropriate treatment reduces the likelihood of an event. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT02693548.

Clinical and molecular characteristics of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia patients: Insights from SAFEHEART registry.

BACKGROUND: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare genetic disorder associated with very high levels of cholesterol, accelerated atherosclerosis and very premature death, often secondary to occlusion of the coronary ostia by supravalvular atheroma in untreated individuals. OBJECTIVE: To describe molecular and clinical characteristics of HoFH enrolled at SAFEHEART registry and to evaluate the role of the type of mutation in clinical expression. METHODS: SAFEHEART is a registry of molecularly defined familial hypercholesterolemia patients. A standardized phone call is made every year for the follow-up. Patients with confirmed HoFH were selected. Molecular and clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-four HoFH patients (27 true HoFH, 4 compound heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, and 3 autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia) have been enrolled in the period 2004-2015. Twenty different mutations in LDLR gene have been detected. Sixteen patients carry defective mutations (DMs), and 15 carry null mutations (NMs). Only patients with NMs met low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) criteria for clinical diagnosis. Patients with NMs had higher untreated LDL-C levels (P < .0001), more aortic valve stenosis (P < .05), and lower age at first cardiovascular event (P < .05) compared to patients with DMs. In the follow-up, 1 liver transplant patient died and 3 cases underwent revascularization procedures. Eight cases started LDL apheresis and 1 case had a liver transplant. CONCLUSIONS: HoFH phenotypic expression is highly variable. These patients have high atherosclerotic coronary artery disease risk including aortic valve stenosis and do not achieve the LDL-C treatment goals with standard therapy.