Statins Use in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases and COVID-19 Outcomes: An Italian Population-Based Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• The impact of statin use on COVID-19 outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains unclear.
• This study investigated whether prior statin use influences the severity of COVID-19 prognosis in hospitalized CVD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between pre-hospitalization statin use and COVID-19 severity.
• To evaluate the impact of statins on mechanical ventilation, ICU admission, and mortality in CVD patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 1127 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with CVDs.
• Patients were categorized into statin-users and non-lipid-lowering therapy (non-LLT) users.
• Logistic and Cox regression models analyzed the risk of mechanical ventilation, ICU access, and mortality.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in the risk of mechanical ventilation or ICU access between statin users and non-LLT users.
• Statin use was not associated with a reduced risk of 14-day mortality.
• A significantly decreased risk of 30-day mortality was observed in statin users compared to non-LLT users.

Conclusions:

• Prior statin use is associated with a reduced 30-day mortality risk in CVD patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
• Findings support the continuation of statin therapy for CVD patients during SARS-CoV-2 infection.