Effect of bempedoic acid on new onset or worsening diabetes: A meta-analysis

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice 2020-10, Vol.168, p.108369-108369, Article 108369
• Main Authors: Masson, Walter, Lobo, Martín, Lavalle-Cobo, Augusto, Masson, Gerardo, Molinero, Graciela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Bempedoic acid; Cholesterol, LDL - drug effects; Diabetes Mellitus - drug therapy; Dicarboxylic Acids - pharmacology; Dicarboxylic Acids - therapeutic use; Fatty Acids - pharmacology; Fatty Acids - therapeutic use; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Meta-analysis; New onset diabetes; Worsernig diabetes
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108369

•The effect on new onset or worsening diabetes with statins was previously reported.•Bempedoic acid is a novel non-statin lipid-lowering drug.•We explore the effect of bempedoic acid on diabetes risk through a meta-analysis.•Compared to placebo, bempedoic acid reduces the new onset or worsening diabetes risk. Bempedoic acid is a new agent that reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Since inhibits cholesterol synthesis through a different mechanism than statins, the adverse effects related to it may also be different. Therefore, the objective of the present meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of bempedoic acid on new onset or worsening diabetes. We performed a meta-analysis including randomized trials of bempedoic acid therapy, reporting new onset or worsening diabetes with a minimum of 4 weeks of follow-up. The fixed-effects model was performed. This meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Five eligible trials of bempedoic acid, including 3629 patients, were identified and considered eligible for the analyses. A total of 2419 subjects were allocated to receive bempedoic acid while 1210 subjects were allocated to the respective control arms. Bempedoic acid therapy is associated with a significant reduction in new onset or worsening diabetes [Odds Ratio: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.48–0.90; I2: 0%]. This data suggests that the use of bempedoic acid significantly reduces the new onset or worsening diabetes risk. This finding should be confirmed with future studies.