TY - JOUR

T1 - Statin use and exacerbations in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AU - Ingebrigtsen, Truls S

AU - Marott, Jacob L

AU - Nordestgaard, Børge G

AU - Lange, Peter

AU - Hallas, Jesper

AU - Vestbo, Jørgen

N1 - Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

PY - 2015/1

Y1 - 2015/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that statin use in individuals with COPD is associated with a reduced risk of exacerbations.METHODS: We identified 5794 individuals with COPD and a measurement of C reactive protein (CRP) in the Copenhagen General Population Study (2003-2008). During 3 years of follow-up we recorded exacerbations with hospital admissions or oral corticosteroid treatment. In a nested case-control design, matching on age, gender, smoking, COPD severity and comorbidity, we estimated the association between statin use and exacerbations. In addition, we examined the association between statin use and high CRP (>3 mg/L), and the association between high CRP and exacerbations during follow-up.RESULTS: Statin use was associated with reduced odds of exacerbations in crude analysis, OR=0.68 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.91, p=0.01), as well as in multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis, OR=0.67 (0.48 to 0.92, p=0.01). However, in the subgroup with the most severe COPD and without cardiovascular comorbidity, we observed a null association between statin use and exacerbations, OR=1.1 (0.5 to 2.1, p=0.83). Furthermore, statin use was associated with reduced odds of a high CRP, OR=0.69 (0.56 to 0.85, p<0.001), and a high CRP was associated with an increased risk of exacerbations, HR=1.62 (1.35 to 1.94, p<0.001). We estimated the percentage of excess risk of the association of statin use with exacerbations possibly mediated through a reduction of CRP to be 14% (4-51%).CONCLUSIONS: Statin use was associated with reduced odds of exacerbations in individuals with COPD from the general population, although this was not apparent in those with the most severe COPD without cardiovascular comorbidity. Statins may thus only associate with reduced risk of exacerbations in patients with COPD with coexisting cardiovascular disease.

AB - BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that statin use in individuals with COPD is associated with a reduced risk of exacerbations.METHODS: We identified 5794 individuals with COPD and a measurement of C reactive protein (CRP) in the Copenhagen General Population Study (2003-2008). During 3 years of follow-up we recorded exacerbations with hospital admissions or oral corticosteroid treatment. In a nested case-control design, matching on age, gender, smoking, COPD severity and comorbidity, we estimated the association between statin use and exacerbations. In addition, we examined the association between statin use and high CRP (>3 mg/L), and the association between high CRP and exacerbations during follow-up.RESULTS: Statin use was associated with reduced odds of exacerbations in crude analysis, OR=0.68 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.91, p=0.01), as well as in multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis, OR=0.67 (0.48 to 0.92, p=0.01). However, in the subgroup with the most severe COPD and without cardiovascular comorbidity, we observed a null association between statin use and exacerbations, OR=1.1 (0.5 to 2.1, p=0.83). Furthermore, statin use was associated with reduced odds of a high CRP, OR=0.69 (0.56 to 0.85, p<0.001), and a high CRP was associated with an increased risk of exacerbations, HR=1.62 (1.35 to 1.94, p<0.001). We estimated the percentage of excess risk of the association of statin use with exacerbations possibly mediated through a reduction of CRP to be 14% (4-51%).CONCLUSIONS: Statin use was associated with reduced odds of exacerbations in individuals with COPD from the general population, although this was not apparent in those with the most severe COPD without cardiovascular comorbidity. Statins may thus only associate with reduced risk of exacerbations in patients with COPD with coexisting cardiovascular disease.

KW - Aged

KW - Disease Progression

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Humans

KW - Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

KW - Male

KW - Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

KW - Recurrence

KW - Retrospective Studies

KW - Time Factors

KW - Treatment Outcome

U2 - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-205795

DO - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-205795

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25349333

VL - 70

SP - 33

EP - 40

JO - Thorax

JF - Thorax

SN - 0040-6376

IS - 1

ER -