title: Prevalence of persistent lipid abnormalities in statin-treated patients: Belgian results of the Dyslipidaemia International Study (DYSIS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A substantial number of cardiovascular events are not prevented by statin therapy, which is still regarded as the first-line therapy for hyperlipidaemia. Insights into the prevalence of lipid abnormalities of statin-treated patients in Belgium are lacking and may shed light on an unmet medical need for optimal use of current lipid-lowering therapies. This study aims to assess the prevalence and types of persistent lipid abnormalities in patients receiving statin therapy in a real-life primary care setting in Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional cohort study was designed to estimate the prevalence of specific lipid abnormalities in statin-treated patients in Belgium. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides were recorded from the patients' medical record. Patient's total cardiovascular risk and corresponding lipid treatment goals were defined based on the recent European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 56.2% of the statin-treated patients were not at goal for LDL-C. Low HDL-C (< 40 mg dl(-1) in men, < 45 mg dl(-1) in women) and elevated triglycerides (> 150 mg dl(-1) ) were seen in 16.3% and 29.0% of patients, respectively. Very high-risk patients were more likely to have LDL-C not at goal (71.4% of them), while 60.0% of high-risk patients and 34.1% of moderate-risk patients were not at goal for LDL-C. Use of ezetimibe (10 mg) was strongly associated with meeting LDL-C goals (OR 16.9, p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Belgium, lipid abnormalities remained highly prevalent despite statin treatment, with more than half of all patients not reaching their LDL-C treatment goal. This finding clearly indicates that more aggressive lipid-lowering treatment is required in clinical daily practice to achieve the goals of the current guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Devroey
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Radermecker
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Van der Schueren
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Torbeyns
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jaken
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides