Achievement of LDL-C goals depends on baseline LDL-C and choice and dose of statin: an analysis from the VOYAGER database.

BACKGROUND: Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels decreases cardiovascular risk in direct proportion to the decrease in LDL-C.

DESIGN: The aim of this study was to assess the importance of baseline LDL-C and choice and dose of statin in achievement of LDL-C goals of 100 and 70 mg/dl, using a novel statistical model. The analysis included 30,102 patient exposures to rosuvastatin 10-40 mg or atorvastatin 10-80 mg from 31 direct comparative trials in the VOYAGER database.

METHODS: For each statin dose, percentage goal achievement was plotted for 20 equally large subgroups defined by baseline LDL-C. Logistic regression analysis was then performed for each statin dose to estimate the percentage of patients reaching target. Best-fit logistic regression curves were plotted 'pair-wise', comparing each rosuvastatin dose with equal or higher doses of atorvastatin.

RESULTS: LDL-C <100 mg/dl was achieved by 53.7-85.5% of patients on rosuvastatin 10-40 mg and 43.3-80.0% of those on atorvastatin 10-80 mg, whereas LDL-C <70 mg/dl was achieved by 4.5-44.0% of rosuvastatin-treated patients and 6.5-41.4% of those on atorvastatin. Similar differences in efficacy favouring rosuvastatin over equal or double doses of atorvastatin were observed across the range of baseline LDL-C levels for both LDL-C goals, being more pronounced at higher baseline values.

CONCLUSIONS: Baseline LDL-C and choice and dose of statin are important for LDL-C goal achievement. The present analysis may allow prediction of individual patient response to different statins at different doses.