Statin-associated lower urinary tract symptoms: data mining of the public version of the FDA adverse event reporting...

To examine the association between statin use and the risk of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between 2004 and 2011.

Relevant reports in the FAERS were identified and analyzed. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) was used to detect spontaneous report signals, calculated using the case/non-case method. Cases were identified by the presence of reports of an adverse drug reaction (ADR) in which statins were the suspected drug. Non-cases were all the reports of the same reactions induced by drugs other than statins. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) and 95% confidential interval (CI) was calculated as a measure of disproportionality.

A total of 44,959,104 drug-reaction pairs was found in 2,681,739 reports. Significant RORs were found for both voiding (ROR; 1.16, 95% CI; 1.10 - 1.23) and storage symptoms (ROR; 1.25, 95% CI; 1.20 - 1.30). Analysis of individual statins showed that rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, and lovastatin had significant disproportionality for voiding symptoms, while simvastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin, atorvastatin, pitavastatin, and lovastatin had significant disproportionality for storage symptoms. Of the four voiding symptoms, significant RORs were found for urine flow decrease and dysuria. Of the four storage symptoms, significant RORs were found for pollakiuria and nocturia. No fundamental differences in disproportionality were observed between genders.

Analysis of the FAERS database showed small but reliable signals for LUTS in statin users. The mechanism responsible for these reactions is unknown. However, these adverse events should be monitored closely.