Cognitive function with evolocumab in pediatric heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

BACKGROUND: Evolocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody inhibitor of PCSK9 approved for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults and pediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The cognitive safety of evolocumab has been established in adults but has not yet been described in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of evolocumab on cognitive function in pediatric heterozygous FH. METHODS: Cognitive function was assessed during a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (HAUSER-RCT) evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of 24 weeks of monthly subcutaneous injections of evolocumab in pediatric patients with FH. Cognitive safety endpoints included changes from baseline to week 24 in test scores in domains of psychomotor function, attention, visual learning, and executive function. Between-group differences in age-standardized mean test score changes were analyzed using analysis of covariance models and point estimates with 95% confidence interval (CI). Magnitudes of difference between treatment groups (Cohen's d) and reliable change indices were calculated for each cognitive function test. RESULTS: At week 24, changes from baseline in age-standardized cognitive test scores were similar between the treatment groups. Differences (95% CI) between the evolocumab and placebo groups in mean test score changes for the Groton Maze Learning, One-Card Learning, Identification, and Detection tests were 0.1 (-0.2, 0.4), -0.1 (-0.5, 0.4), 0.3 (0.0, 0.7), 0.3 (-0.1, 0.8), respectively. For all tests, abnormal and clinically important cognitive decline occurred with lesser frequency in the evolocumab group. CONCLUSION: In pediatric patients with FH, 24-week treatment with evolocumab did not negatively influence cognition. FUNDING: This study was funded and designed by Amgen.