FOURIER Insights: What is the Accuracy of the Martin/Hopkins LDL-C Estimation?

By DocWire News Editors - Last Updated: May 2, 2023

The Martin/Hopkins method of LDL-C estimation provided values closer to the gold standard of estimation than the Friedewald estimation method in patients achieving lower LDL-C with PCSK9 inhibition, results of a new analysis of FOURIER patients revealed (which included 27,564 patients with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease). The analysis, published recently in JAMA Cardiology, looked at LDL-C levels obtained in the trial as calculated by the Friedewald method and the Martin/Hopkins method, with the gold standard of preparative ultracentrifugation (PUC) used as a reference.  

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Fourier Study Results

According to the results of the analysis, 22.9% of the LDL-C values calculated via Martin/Hopkins method were greater than 5 mg/dL of the PUC gold standard, with 2.6% varying by more than 10 mg/dL. This was less than those values obtained by the Friedewald method (40.1% and 13.3% respectively). The Friedewald method, the researchers concluded, tended to underestimate LDL-C level compared with the gold standard, resulting in possible undertreatment.  

“These data suggest that Martin/Hopkins estimation should be the preferred method to estimate LDL-C levels in such intensively treated patients,” they authors write. More reaction below: 

Source: JAMA Cardiology 

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