Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and clinical outcomes in patients with end‐stage renal disease.

This article discusses the relationship between proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels and clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in ESRD patients, and risk factors for CVD in these patients include hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. While lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) with statins is well-established in high-risk CVD patients, its use in ESRD patients is not recommended. PCSK9 inhibitors have shown promise in reducing LDL-C and CVD risk, but more research is needed to determine their effects in ESRD patients. The study discussed in the article found that while PCSK9 levels were associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in unadjusted analyses, this association was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for other factors. However, there was a trend towards an association between PCSK9 levels and mortality in women compared to men. The authors conclude that PCSK9 levels are not related to all-cause mortality in ESRD patients, but there may be an interaction with sex in the relationship between PCSK9 levels and mortality. The article also highlights the limitations of the study and the need for further research to better understand the role of PCSK9 levels in ESRD patients and to develop targeted management and treatment strategies for these patients. [Extracted from the article]