Statins can make asthma worse

This study was presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting: Abstract 30. November 6, 2011.

Study title and author:
Statins can make asthma worse
Safa Nsouli, MD
Danville Asthma and Allergy Clinic in California.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/753504

This statins investigated the association of statins with asthma. The study, which lasted 12 months, compared 20 patients with asthma who were taking statins with 20 matched patients who were not taking statins.

The study found:
(a) In statin patients the forced expiratory volume in 1 second decreased by an extra 21% compared to patients not taking statins. (Forced expiratory volume in 1 second is the amount of air which can be forcibly exhaled from the lungs in the first second of a forced exhalation).
(b) In statin patients the peak expiratory flow decreased by an extra 28% compared to patients not taking statins. (Peak expiratory flow rate is the maximum flow rate generated during a forceful exhalation, starting from full lung inflation. Peak flow rate primarily reflects large airway flow and depends on the voluntary effort and muscular strength of the patient).
(c) The use of beta-agonist rescue inhalers was 63% higher in the statin group than in the nonstatin group.
(d) In statin patients the incidence of night time wakening increased by an extra 28% compared to patients not taking statins.
(e) In statin patients the incidence of daytime asthma symptoms increased by an extra 32% compared to patients not taking statins.

Dr Nsouli concluded: "Patients with asthma who are prescribed statins should be informed that, because of the adverse immunomodulatory effects that statins produce, their asthma might get worse".

Statins adversely affect asthma

This study was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 2009 Dec;103(6):463-8

Study title and authors:
The effect of statin therapy on allergic patients with asthma.

Ostroukhova M, Kouides RW, Friedman E.
Department of Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, New York, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20084838

The objective of the study was to ascertain whether statin use adversely affects asthma. The study included 24 patients who were on statin therapy and 26 controls, not on statin therapy.

The study found after six months:
(a) There was a significant 3% worsening of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (a worsening of lung function) for the statin group compared with the controls.
(b) 40% more patients in the statin group needed increased asthma medication compared with the controls.
(c) 63% more patients in the statin group used albuterol more frequently compared with the controls. (Albuterol is used to prevent and treat wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest tightness caused by lung diseases).
(d) 33% more patients in the statin group had more nocturnal awakenings compared with the controls.
(e) 34% more patients in the statin group had to see the doctor more frequently for acute asthma.

This study demonstrates that statin use adversely affects asthma.