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Statins lower risk for decompensation, death in HCV
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In a retrospective cohort study using data from the Veteran Affairs Clinical Case Registry, patients with hepatitis C virus infection and compensated cirrhosis who used statins had a lower risk for cirrhosis decompensation and mortality vs. nonstatin users.
Researchers, including Arpan Mohanty, MD, from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., analyzed data of 40,512 patients with HCV compensated cirrhosis between January 1996 and December 2009. Of these, 2,802 were statin users based on records of filled prescriptions.
The researchers developed a propensity score model using variables associated with statin prescription, and then new statin users were matched with up to five nonusers (685 statin users matched with 2,062 nonusers).
Based on the model, statin users had a lower risk for developing decompensation (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.39-0.77) and mortality (HR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.46-0.69) compared with nonusers.
Even after adjustments for age, Fibrosis-4 index score, serum level of albumin, MELD score and Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores, decompensation (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.39-0.78) and mortality rates (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.68) remained lower in the statin users.
The discrimination of the propensity score model was 0.92.
The researchers concluded: “Based on data from the Veteran Affairs Clinical Case Registry, statin use among patients with HCV and compensated cirrhosis is associated with a more than 40% lower risk of cirrhosis decompensation and death. Although statins cannot yet be recommended widely for these patients, their use should not be avoided.”
Disclosure: Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.
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