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Although the clinical benefits of statin therapy are well known, the underlying mechanisms remain less clearly defined. In a multicenter observational study in South Korea, researchers assessed plaque progression in 467 patients (mean age, 62; 57% male; 20% active smokers) who underwent serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA; mean inter-scan period, 3 years), lipid measurement within 1 month of baseline, and follow-up CCTA. Patients were stratified into those who had or had not achieved LDL cholesterol levels below 70 mg/dL at follow-up.
Patients who achieved follow-up LDL cholesterol <70 mg/dL had higher baseline prevalence of diabetes and more cardiovascular risk factors but showed attenuated plaque progression and lower ann…