Statin use is associated with an 80% higher risk of multiple organ failure in severely injured blunt trauma patients

This study was published in the Journal of Trauma 2009 Sep;67(3):476-82; discussion 482-4

Study title and authors:
Preinjury statin use is associated with a higher risk of multiple organ failure after injury: a propensity score adjusted analysis.

Neal MD, Cushieri J, Rosengart MR, Alarcon LH, Moore EE, Maier RV, Minei JP, Billiar TR, Peitzman AB, Sperry JL
Division of General Surgery and Trauma, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19741387

This study sought to determine the relationship between preinjury statin use and outcome in severely injured blunt trauma patients. (Blunt trauma is a usually serious injury caused by a blunt object or collision with a blunt surface, as in a vehicle accident or fall from a building). Data was obtained from 295 blunt injured adults with hemorrhagic shock. Patients aged 55 years and older were analysed.

The study found preinjury statin use was associated with an 80% higher risk of multiple organ failure in severely injured blunt trauma patients.

Statin use linked to musculoskeletal diseases, joint pain and injuries

This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine 2013:1-9

Study title and authors:
Statins and Musculoskeletal Conditions, Arthropathies, and Injuries
Ishak Mansi, MD; Christopher R. Frei, PharmD, MSc; Mary Jo Pugh, PhD; Una Makris, MD; Eric M. Mortensen, MD, MSc

This study can be accessed at: http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1691918

The objective of the study was to determine whether statin use is associated with musculoskeletal disorders. ( Musculoskeletal disorders can affect the body's muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves). This analysis compared 6,967 statin users with 6,967 nonusers.

The study found:
(a) Statin users had a 19% increased risk of all musculoskeletal diseases compared to nonusers.
(b) Statin users had a 13% increased risk of injury-related diseases (dislocation, sprain, strain) compared to nonusers.
(c) Statin users had a 9% increased risk of drug-associated musculoskeletal pain compared to nonusers.
(d) Statin users had a 7% increased risk of joint pain compared to nonusers.

Mansi concludes: "Musculoskeletal conditions, arthropathies, injuries, and pain are more common among statin users than among similar nonusers".