PRavastatin Versus FlUVastatin After Statin Intolerance: The PRUV-Intolerance Study With Propensity Score Matching

Limited data are available on the relapse of statin intolerance after resumption of statins. We aimed to evaluate the relapse rates of statin intolerance in patients who subsequently received pravastatin or fluvastatin and to identify associated factors.

This retrospective, propensity score-matched cohort study screened data obtained from a tertiary university hospital between 2006 and 2015. Of 8073 patients screened, 488 with statin intolerance who received pravastatin or fluvastatin with regular follow-up were enrolled. After propensity score matching of patients, 384 were finally analyzed. The primary outcome variables were relapse of statin intolerance and stopping (ie, discontinuation or switching to other statins) rate for the 2 statins.

During the median follow-up period of 37 months, the rate of relapse of intolerance was 10.4% and 18.2% among users of pravastatin and fluvastatin, respectively (P = 0.04). However, the log-rank test showed no difference in the relapse-free rates between the 2 groups (P = 0.34). The stopping rates of the 2 statins were 36.5% and 42.2% (P = 0.30), respectively, for various reasons, including low efficacy of the drugs. After adjustment, chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio [HR] 1.83, P = 0.03) and previous creatine kinase elevation (HR 3.13, P = 0.001) were identified as independent determinants of relapse. Older age (HR 1.03, P = 0.057) and female sex (HR 1.70, P = 0.059) were associated, but not significantly, with relapse.

Although a small proportion of patients taking pravastatin or fluvastatin experienced a relapse of intolerance, many patients eventually discontinued or changed these agents. Chronic kidney disease and history of creatine kinase elevation were independent determinants of relapse.