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Published on: April 19, 2024
Adjunctive Statin Therapy in Patients with Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled
Cynthia Florêncio de Mesquita1, André Rivera2, Beatriz Araújo2
1Department of Medicine, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Insights
Adjunctive statin therapy in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) significantly lowers mortality and disease severity. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials confirms statins
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The role of statin therapy as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients remains unclear.
- Evaluating the efficacy and safety of statins in this population is crucial for clinical decision-making.
Approach:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted.
- Searches included Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to April 2024.
- Data from 7 RCTs involving 4,262 patients were pooled using random-effects models.
Key Points:
- Statin use significantly reduced the case-fatality rate (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80-0.98) and WHO scale score at 14 days (MD -0.27; 95% CI -0.54 to -0.01).
- Time-to-event analysis showed similar mortality reduction (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.75-0.99).
- No significant differences were observed in hospital stay duration or key inflammatory markers.
Conclusions:
- Adjunctive statin therapy demonstrates significant benefits in reducing mortality and disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- Statins represent a potentially valuable therapeutic option for this patient group.
Background:
The efficacy and safety of adjunctive statin therapy in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remains uncertain.
Methods:
We systematically searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from inception to late April 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing statin versus no statin use in patients hospitalized with Covid-19. We pooled risk ratios (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) applying a random-effects model. R version 4.3.1 was used for statistical analyses.
Results:
We included 7 RCTs comprising 4,262 patients, of whom 2,645 (62%) were randomized to receive statin therapy. Compared with no statin, statin use significantly reduced case-fatality rate (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80-0.98; I2 = 0%). In a time-to-event analysis, we found similar results (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.75-0.99; I2 = 0%). Statin use also significantly reduced World Health Organization (WHO) scale at 14 days (mean difference -0.27; 95% CI -0.54 to -0.01; I2 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in length of hospital stay, elevation of liver enzymes, and C-reactive protein levels.
Conclusions:
In patients hospitalized with Covid-19, statins significantly reduced case-fatality rate and WHO scale score.
Registration:
A prospective register was recorded in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with the number CRD42023479007.
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