Injectable Lipid-Lowering Therapies in Chronic Kidney Disease: Efficacy, Outcomes, Safety and Implementation—A Systematic Review

Background/Objectives: Cardiovasc{Citation}ular disease accounts for 50% of chronic kidney disease (CKD) mortality, yet fewer than 40% of patients achieve guideline LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) targets on statins. Injectable lipid-lowering therapies (ILLTs)—PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran—offer 50–70% LDL-C reductions but lack comprehensive CKD-specific evidence synthesis. This systematic review evaluated ILLT efficacy, safety, and implementation across kidney function stages including dialysis. Methods: Following PROSPERO registration (CRD42024612594), we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Google Scholar (1995–August 2025). Two reviewers independently screened studies using PICOS criteria: adults with CKD stages G3-G5, dialysis, or transplant recipients receiving injectable lipid therapies. Primary outcomes were LDL-C percentage change and major adverse cardiovascular events. Quality was assessed using NIH tools. Given heterogeneity, we performed narrative synthesis following SWiM guidance. Results: Eight studies (n = 28,013) met the criteria. The FOURIER trial demonstrated that evolocumab achieved 58–59% LDL-C reductions across kidney function strata (interaction p = 0.77) with preserved cardiovascular benefit (HR 0.82–0.89). Absolute risk reduction was greater in advanced CKD (2.5% vs. 1.7%), reflecting higher baseline rates. Pharmacokinetic studies showed no eGFR-exposure correlation requiring dose adjustment; evolocumab was not removed by haemodialysis. Inclisiran achieved a 67–80% PCSK9 reduction and a 35–58% LDL-C reduction across renal groups, with twice-yearly maintenance dosing. Both classes reduced non-HDL-C (45–50%), apoB (40–45%), and lipoprotein(a) (20–25%). Safety was favourable, with mild injection-site reactions (< 5%); no renal decline signals emerged. Conclusions: Evidence for injectable lipid-lowering therapies in CKD are driven largely by a single large post hoc subgroup analysis (FOURIER) and small phase 1–2 PK/PD studies, with minimal dialysis representation and no transplant data. These agents appear to provide substantial LDL-C reductions across CKD stages G3–G5 without dose adjustment, but cardiovascular and renal outcome data in advanced CKD and dialysis remain limited and should be interpreted cautiously.