This study was published in the American Thoracic Society Journal 2010.181.1_MeetingAbstracts.A170110.1164
Study title and authors:
Effect Of Statin Therapy On Outcomes In Patients With Acute Lung Injury And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
Seth R. Bauer, PharmD, Simon W. Lam, PharmD, Anita J. Reddy, MD
This study can be accessed at: http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2010.181.1_MeetingAbstracts.A1701
Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life-threatening medical condition where the lungs can't provide enough oxygen for the rest of the body.
This study investigated the effects of statins on patients diagnosed with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome who received treatment in an intensive care unit setting. The study included 187 patients who were divided into three groups:
(i) Patients who received statins before and continued after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis.
(ii) Patients who received statins before but not after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis.
(iii) Patients who never had statins.
The study found:
(a) Overall, patients who received statins had a 75% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.
(b) Patients who received statins before and continued after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis had a 114% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.
(c) Patients who received statins before but not after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis had a 41% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.
Links to other studies:
Link between statin use and interstitial lung disease
63.5% of patients report experiencing side-effects due to statins
Doctor says statin drug hypersensitivity reactions are potentially life-threatening