Association between Gallstone Disease and Statin Use: A Nested Case-Control Study in Korea

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Pharmacology
• Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The relationship between statin use and gallstone disease is debated, with limited data from diverse populations.
• Existing research is predominantly based on Caucasian cohorts, necessitating studies in Asian populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between statin use duration and type with the incidence of gallstone disease in a Korean population.
• To clarify the controversial link between statins and gallstone development using a large-scale cohort.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study utilized data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Health Screening Cohort (2002-2019).
• 22,636 gallstone cases were matched 1:4 with 90,544 controls based on demographics and residential area.
• Statin prescription history for two years prior to diagnosis was analyzed using propensity-score-weighted conditional logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Long-term use (>545 days) of any statin was linked to a reduced risk of gallstone disease (OR = 0.91).
• Long-term use of lipophilic statins showed a significant association with lower odds of gallstones (OR = 0.88).
• Short-term statin use (180-545 days) and hydrophilic statin use did not show a statistically significant relationship with gallstone incidence.

Conclusions:

• Prior statin medication, particularly long-term use of lipophilic statins, may offer a protective effect against gallstone disease.
• These findings highlight a potential preventive role of statins in gallstone disease, especially in Asian populations.