Evidence mapPaperPMID 26799206Full record

ArticlePloS one2016

PCSK9 Plasma Concentrations Are Independent of GFR and Do Not Predict Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Decreased GFR.

Kyrill S Rogacev, Gunnar H Heine, Günther Silbernagel, Marcus E Kleber, Sarah Seiler, Insa Emrich, Simone Lennartz, Christian Werner, Adam M Zawada, Danilo Fliser and 4 more

Open access · goldFull text read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
6.9field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Trial
  7. Inflammation, Lp(a) and cardiovascular mortality: results from the LURIC study.Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · 2025
    Article
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  19. PCSK9 in chronic kidney disease.International urology and nephrology · 2017
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Kyrill S RogacevDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Gunnar H HeineDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Günther SilbernagelDivision of Angiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
Marcus E KleberVth Department of Medicine (Nephrology, Hypertensiology, Endocrinology, Diabetology, Rheumatology), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Sarah SeilerDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Insa EmrichDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Simone LennartzDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Christian WernerDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Adam M ZawadaDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Danilo FliserDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Nephrology and Hypertension, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Michael BöhmDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Winfried MärzVth Department of Medicine (Nephrology, Hypertensiology, Endocrinology, Diabetology, Rheumatology), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Hubert ScharnaglClinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Ulrich LaufsDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
Saarland University · DEHeidelberg University · DEMedical University of Graz · ATUniversity Hospital Heidelberg · DEUniversity Hospital of Bern · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImpaired renal function causes dyslipidemia that contributes to elevated cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a regulator of the LDL receptor and plasma cholesterol concentrations. Its relationship to kidney function and cardiovascular events in patients with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) has not been explored.

methodsLipid parameters including PCSK9 were measured in two independent cohorts. CARE FOR HOMe (Cardiovascular and Renal Outcome in CKD 2-4 Patients-The Forth Homburg evaluation) enrolled 443 patients with reduced GFR (between 90 and 15 ml/min/1.73 m2) referred for nephrological care that were prospectively followed for the occurrence of a composite cardiovascular endpoint. As a replication cohort, PCSK9 was quantitated in 1450 patients with GFR between 90 and 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 enrolled in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study (LURIC) that were prospectively followed for cardiovascular deaths.

resultsPCSK9 concentrations did not correlate with baseline GFR (CARE FOR HOMe: r = -0.034; p = 0.479; LURIC: r = -0.017; p = 0.512). 91 patients in CARE FOR HOMe and 335 patients in LURIC reached an endpoint during a median follow-up of 3.0 [1.8-4.1] years and 10.0 [7.3-10.6] years, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that PCSK9 concentrations did not predict cardiovascular events in either cohort [CARE FOR HOMe (p = 0.622); LURIC (p = 0.729)]. Sensitivity analyses according to statin intake yielded similar results.

conclusionIn two well characterized independent cohort studies, PCSK9 plasma levels did not correlate with kidney function. Furthermore, PCSK9 plasma concentrations were not associated with cardiovascular events in patients with reduced renal function.

Indexed as

Glomerular Filtration RatePostoperative ComplicationsAgedBiomarkersCardiovascular DiseasesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansKidney Failure, ChronicKidney Function TestsKidney TransplantationMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProprotein Convertase 9Proprotein ConvertasesBiomarkersPCSK9 protein, humanProprotein Convertase 9Proprotein ConvertasesSerine Endopeptidases

Identifiers

PMID26799206
PMCPMC4723078
OpenAlexW2257711679

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.