Association between statins and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: insights from cohort and genetic validation

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of all-cause mortality, frequently accompanied by comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Statins, commonly prescribed for hyperlipidemia, also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties that may benefit patients with COPD. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of statin utilization on all-cause mortality among COPD patients with data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and applying Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore potential causal associations.

This study obtained data using the NHANES (2007-2018) database, which contained information on COPD patients with active statin prescriptions and the associated mortality data. All-cause mortality was defined as the primary outcome in this study. Cox regression models were used to determine the association between statin use and mortality, adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. MR analysis, leveraging genetic variants associated with statin use, was employed to assess potential causality.

In the study of 2,416 COPD patients, the use of statins was linked to a 41% decrease in all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) =0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36-0.98]. Mediation analysis further revealed that C-reactive protein (CRP) partially mediated the protective effect of statins on all-cause mortality in COPD patients, accounting for 5.5% of the total effect. MR analysis indicated that statin use was associated with a 17% decrease in the risk of COPD (OR =0.83, 95% CI: 0.78-0.90).

Statins may reduce all-cause mortality in COPD patients, indicating potential therapeutic benefits beyond cholesterol management. Nonetheless, further research is needed to confirm these results.