Assessment of the Role of Niacin in Managing Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Assessment of the Role of Niacin in Managing Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

D'Andrea et al., 2019 | JAMA Netw Open | Meta Analysis

Citation

D'Andrea Elvira, Hey Spencer P, ... Kesselheim Aaron S. Assessment of the Role of Niacin in Managing Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019-Apr-05;2(4):e192224. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2224

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Niacin remains a therapeutic option for patients with cardiovascular disease, but recent studies have called into question the effectiveness of other drugs that increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and evaluate the evidence supporting current US Food and Drug Administration-approved uses of niacin in cardiovascular disease prevention settings. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trial Register (Central), ClinicalTrials.gov, and TrialResults-center, from database inception to October 2017. STUDY SELECTION: The systematic review included clinical trials involving niacin as a treatment for cardiovascular disease. The meta-analysis included randomized clinical trials reporting niacin's effect, as exposure, on at least 1 long-term cardiovascular disease outcome. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Aggregate study-level data were extracted between November 2017 and January 2018 by 3 independent reviewers, and the analysis was performed in February 2018. Inverse-variance weighted methods were used to produce pooled risk ratios using random-effects models for between-study heterogeneity. Random effects-weighted metaregression analysis was used to assess the association of change in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels with the log risk ratio of the pooled results. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease mortality, and other cardiovascular events, including acute coronary syndrome, fatal and nonfatal stroke, revascularization, and major adverse cardiac events. RESULTS: Of 119 clinical trials, 17 documented niacin's effect on at least 1 cardiovascular disease outcome. The meta-analysis included 35 760 patients with histories of cardiovascular disease or dyslipidemia. Cumulative evidence found no preventive association of niacin with cardiovascular outcomes in secondary prevention. Stratified meta-analysis showed an association of niacin monotherapy with reduction of some cardiovascular events among patients without statin treatment (acute coronary syndrome: relative risk, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58-0.96; stroke: relative risk, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.94; revascularization: relative risk, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.37-0.72). These results were mainly derived from 2 trials conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Niacin may have some use in lipid control for secondary prevention as monotherapy, perhaps in patients intolerant to statins, but evidence is from older studies on a population potentially not representative of current-day patients.

Key Findings

Of 119 clinical trials, 17 documented niacin's effect on at least 1 cardiovascular disease outcome. The meta-analysis included 35 760 patients with histories of cardiovascular disease or dyslipidemia. Cumulative evidence found no preventive association of niacin with cardiovascular outcomes in secondary prevention. Stratified meta-analysis showed an association of niacin monotherapy with reduction of some cardiovascular events among patients without statin treatment (acute coronary syndrome: rel

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population cardiovascular disease
Sample Size 760
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Lipoproteins, HDL
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Niacin
  • Odds Ratio
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United States

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: niacin-cholesterol

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09