# The efficacy of preoperative evolocumab-rosuvastatin combination therapy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

## TL;DR

This study tested combining evolocumab and rosuvastatin before heart procedures in heart attack patients, finding benefits in reducing chest pain and inflammation, though not major heart events.

## Contribution

The study is the first to evaluate preoperative evolocumab-rosuvastatin combination therapy in STEMI patients undergoing emergency PCI.

## Key findings

- The combination therapy reduced angina incidence at 6 months compared to rosuvastatin alone.
- The treatment group showed faster and greater LDL-C reduction and improved ST-segment resolution.
- Inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-17 were significantly lower in the treatment group.

## Abstract

The impact of single-dose preoperative evolocumab combined with rosuvastatin therapy prior to emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains insufficiently characterized within current guideline-directed medical therapy.

In this prospective randomized trial conducted at Liaocheng People’s Hospital (2023–2024), 80 STEMI patients undergoing emergency PCI were randomized to: Treatment group: Single subcutaneous evolocumab 140 mg plus oral rosuvastatin 10 mg administered pre-PCI, followed by rosuvastatin 10 mg/day; Control group: Rosuvastatin 10 mg/day alone initiated post-PCI. Primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included angina incidence, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, interleukins, and ST-segment resolution rate (STR). The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2500099498).

Primary endpoint (MACEs): 5.0% (treatment group) vs. 12.5% (control group)(P = 0.228) at 6-month follow-up. Secondary endpoints: Angina incidence: 7.5% vs 27.5% (P = 0.037) at 6-month follow-up; LDL-C reduction: Significant in treatment group at day 1 (2.97 ± 0.63 vs 3.33 ± 0.78 mmol/L; P = 0.029), day 7 (1.66 ± 0.89 vs 2.25 ± 0.77 mmol/L, P = 0.003), and month 1 (P = 0.036); ST-segment resolution >70%: 60% vs 30% (P < 0.05); Inflammatory markers: Lower IL-6 (P = 0.02) and IL-17 (P = 0.01) in treatment group.

While the evolocumab-rosuvastatin combination did not significantly reduce 6-month MACEs, it demonstrated clinically important benefits including reduced angina frequency, accelerated LDL-C lowering, improved myocardial reperfusion, and attenuated inflammatory response, with a favorable safety profile. These findings support further investigation of intensive lipid-lowering strategies in acute STEMI management.