Association between statin use and physical function among community-dwelling older Japanese adults

Statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) are the muscle-related side-effects of statins, but the association between statin use and physical function among community-dwelling older adults is unclear. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between statin use and physical function among community-dwelling older Japanese adults by considering the risk factors of statin-associated muscle symptoms.

The participants were 1022 community-dwelling older adults aged 65-88 years, who participated in comprehensive health checkups from 2013 to 2015. Statin use in the participants (381 men and 559 women) was verified by using data from their medicine notebooks. The differences between statin use (users and non-users) and physical functions (grip strength, knee extension torque, normal and maximum gait speed, Timed Up & Go test, one-legged stance, quadriceps muscle thickness and echo intensity) were analyzed using the t-test. Multiple regression analyses were also carried out to examine the association between statin use and physical function.

A total of 93 men (24.4%) and 154 women (27.5%) were statin users. Grip strength, normal gait speed and one-legged stance declined significantly in statin users compared with the non-users. In multiple regression analysis while controlling for the risk factors of statin-associated muscle symptoms, including age, sex, body mass index and number of medicines, no independent association, between statin use and the reduction of physical functions, was observed.

Statin use was not associated with the decline of physical function in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 623-630.