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Updated: Sep 16, 2025
Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 5, 2014
Pre-injury statin therapy is associated with lower VTE after traumatic brain injury
Kelly E Sanders1, Gabrielle E Hatton1, Ashna S Karpe1
1Department of Surgery, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth Houston), 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Background:
Hemorrhage progression is a potentially devastating complication after TBI, mandating delay to VTE prophylaxis in high-risk patients. Statins have endothelial stabilizing effects associated with decreased VTE in other populations.
Objective:
To explore whether prehospital statin exposure is associated with decreased incidence of VTE in TBI.
Methods:
This retrospective cohort study included adult trauma patients and excluded bleeding disorder, disseminated cancer, pregnancy, and deaths <24 h. TBI progression, VTE incidence, VTE prophylaxis type/timing were assessed, grouped by prehospital statin exposure. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed.
Results:
148/1188 patients used statins. Statin users were older (71.5 vs 41 years, p < 0.001) with lower injury severity score (22 vs 27, p < 0.001) and higher incidence of pre-existing comorbidities. Time to DVT prophylaxis was shorter (35.2 vs 38.8 h, p = 0.005) and plasma transfusion within 4 h of admission was lower for statin users (0 vs 1 unit, p = 0.039). Statin use was associated with less progression of TBI (24.3 % vs 37 %, Fisher's exact test p < 0.001) and lower incidence of DVT (1.4 % vs 2.2 %, p < 0.001. After controlling for known covariates, statin users had a lower odds of developing VTE (OR = 0.24, 95 % CI 0.06-0.99; p = 0.048).
Conclusions:
Statin exposure was associated with decreased incidence of VTE after TBI.
