Lipid-lowering therapy and LDL cholesterol control among high- and very high-risk patients in Portugal: An analysis of the SANTORINI study

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: The SANTORINI study is the first large-scale, European observational study conducted following the release of the 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society ESC/EAS guidelines on dyslipidemia management. This analysis aims to assess lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) use and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal attainment in patients at high or very high cardiovascular (CV) risk enrolled in Portugal.

Methods: In Portugal, 117 patients were enrolled across 10 sites between September 2020 and February 2021. Paired LDL-C values at baseline and one-year follow-up were available for 102 patients. LDL-C levels, LLT utilization patterns, and LDL-C goal attainment (as per the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines) were assessed at both time points and compared with the broader European cohort, excluding Portuguese participants.

Results: Over the one-year follow-up, the use of statin monotherapy decreased from 49.5% to 45.2%, while combination therapy with statin and ezetimibe increased from 35.9% to 40.9%. LLT intensity was escalated in 12.8% of patients, unchanged in 79.5%, and de-escalated in 6.0%. Mean LDL-C levels were similar between baseline and one-year follow-up: corresponding values were 90.2 mg/dL and 90.1 mg/dL in high-risk patients, and 74.1 mg/dL and 75.2 mg/dL in very high-risk patients. LDL-C goal attainment declined from 34.1% to 22.7% in high-risk patients and 27.6% to 22.4% in very high-risk patients.

Conclusions: The Portuguese cohort of the SANTORINI study demonstrates both encouraging developments and ongoing challenges in the real-world management of dyslipidemia following the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines. Reasons for lack of LLT intensification and factors underlying worsening rates for LDL-C goal attainment should be explored.

Keywords: Agentes reguladores de lípidos; Cardiometabolic risk factors; Cholesterol; Colesterol; Estudo observacional; Fatores de risco cardiometabólicos; LDL; Lipid regulating agents; Observational study.