Platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes in patients using CYP3A4-metabolized statins with clopidogrel in...

Statins are primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), which reduces clopidogrel to its active metabolite. Recent studies suggest that CYP3A4-metabolized statins attenuate clopidogrel's anti-aggregatory effect on platelets. We aimed to assess the impact of concomitant CYP3A4-metabolized statin and clopidogrel use on antiplatelet activity and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We enrolled 1187 patients from the HOST-ASSURE trial with platelet reactivity unit (PRU) values at both baseline and 1 month. Patients were assigned to the CYP3A4-metabolized statin group (group A, n = 725) or non-CYP3A4-metabolized statin group (group B, n = 462) according to type of statin used. Co-primary outcomes were the differences between PRU at baseline and 1 month and the composite of cardiovascular death, recurrent myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, revascularization, and cerebrovascular accident. We found that follow-up PRU values did not change in group A and decreased significantly in group B (mean difference: -15 ± 79, p < 0.001) in both the crude and matched cohorts. Patients with a high PRU value at baseline, irrespective of statin type, had a significant reduction in mean PRU difference (group A, -62 ± 78, p < 0.001; group B, -59 ± 69, p < 0.001) in both the crude and matched cohorts. The composite of clinical events did not differ between groups in either cohort. CYP3A4-metabolized statins slightly inhibit the antiplatelet activity of clopidogrel during dual antiplatelet therapy. However, they do not inhibit clopidogrel's antiplatelet effect in patients with high platelet reactivity or increase clinical events in patients following PCI.