Lower LDL-C associated with low risk of CKD progression, finds study

Korea: According to a recent study, there is a graded connection between LDL-C and the probability of poor cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) <70 mg/dL was associated with the lowest risk of CKD progression, indicating that a lower LDL-C goal may be appropriate.

The study indicates that lipid management is important in CKD patients without kidney replacement therapy.

The findings were published in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases on 12th October 2021.

The optimum amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to avoid cardiovascular disease in people with chronic kidney disease is unclear. To clarify the same, Changhyun Lee, National Health Insurance Service Medical Center, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, and colleagues aimed to investigate the relationship between LDL-C levels and poor cardiovascular and renal outcomes in Korean CKD patients, as well as to test the validity of the "lower, the better" statin consumption strategy. 

The Korean cohort study for Outcome in Participants with CKD (KNOW-CKD) comprised a total of 1,886 patients. LDL-C levels in patients were divided into four categories: 70, 70–99, 100–129, and 130 mg/dL. The primary outcome was the number of significant cardiovascular events that lasted for a lengthy period of time (eMACEs). All-cause mortality and CKD progression were secondary outcomes.

Although CKD is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the positive effects of lowering LDL-C targets in individuals with CKD remain unclear. LDL-C levels of 70 mg/dL were linked with a greater risk of poor cardiovascular outcome in individuals with CKD in this prospective cohort research. Patients with LDL-C levels less than 70 mg/dL had a reduced risk of CKD development.

In conclusion, LDL-C level <70 mg/dL was associated with a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients with CKD. Risk of the progression of CKD was also lower in patients with LDL-C level <70 mg/dL.Thus, lipid management is important in CKD patients without kidney replacement therapy.

Reference:

Lee, C., Park, J. T., Chang, T.-I., Kang, E. W., Nam, K. H., Joo, Y. S., Sung, S.-A., Kim, Y. H., Chae, D.-W., Park, S. K., Ahn, C., Oh, K.-H., Yoo, T.-H., Kang, S.-W., & Han, S. H. (2021). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and adverse clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease: results from the KNOW-CKD. In Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.037