Low-dose statin pretreatment reduces stroke severity and improves functional outcomes

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Pre-stroke statin use is known to reduce stroke severity and improve functional outcomes.
• The efficacy of low-dose statins as a primary preventive measure in the Chinese population for stroke outcomes remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of pre-stroke low-dose statin use on stroke severity and functional outcomes in Chinese patients.
• To identify factors associated with reduced stroke severity on admission.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1878 ischemic stroke cases (May 2011-January 2017).
• Primary endpoints included stroke severity (NIHSS) and functional outcomes (mRS) at 90 days.
• Propensity score matching and logistic regression analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Pre-stroke low-dose statin users showed significantly reduced NIHSS scores on admission (3 vs. 5, P<0.001).
• Patients on low-dose statins had better 90-day functional outcomes (mRS 2 vs. 3, P=0.007) and higher rates of favorable outcomes (65.6% vs. 50.8%, P=0.005).
• Low-dose statin pretreatment was independently associated with lower admission stroke severity (OR=0.15, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Pretreatment with low-dose statins effectively reduces initial stroke severity in Chinese patients.
• Low-dose statin use improves functional outcomes at 90 days post-stroke.
• Pre-stroke low-dose statin use is an independent predictor of reduced stroke severity on admission.