TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of statin therapy on the incidence of infections
T2 - A retrospective cohort analysis
AU - Magulick, John P.
AU - Frei, Christopher R.
AU - Ali, Sayed K.
AU - Mortensen, Eric M.
AU - Pugh, Mary Jo
AU - Oramasionwu, Christine U.
AU - Daniels, Kelly R.
AU - Mansi, Ishak A.
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - BACKGROUND: Statins have been postulated to prevent infection through immunomodulatory effects. OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of infections in statin users to that in nonusers within the same health care system. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients enrolled as Tricare Prime or Plus in the San Antonio military multimarket. Statin users were patients who received a statin for at least 3 months between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2005. Nonusers were patients who did not receive a statin within the study period (October 1, 2003-September 30, 2009). Inpatient and outpatient International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to determine the incidence of infections during the follow-up period (October 1, 2005-September 30, 2009) via multivariable regression analysis and time to infection via Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 45,247 patients who met the study criteria, 12,981 (29%) were statin users and 32,266 were nonusers. After adjustments for age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Score, tobacco use, alcohol abuse/dependence, health care utilization and use of specific medication classes, statin use was associated with an increased incidence of common infections (odds ratio [OR]: 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.19) but not influenza or fungal infections (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.80-1.39; OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.91-1.04, respectively). Time-to-first infection was similar in statin users and nonusers in all infection categories examined. CONCLUSIONS: Statin use was associated with an increased incidence of common infections but not influenza or fungal infections. This study does not support a protective role of statins in infection prevention; however, the influence of potential confounders cannot be excluded.
AB - BACKGROUND: Statins have been postulated to prevent infection through immunomodulatory effects. OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of infections in statin users to that in nonusers within the same health care system. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients enrolled as Tricare Prime or Plus in the San Antonio military multimarket. Statin users were patients who received a statin for at least 3 months between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2005. Nonusers were patients who did not receive a statin within the study period (October 1, 2003-September 30, 2009). Inpatient and outpatient International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to determine the incidence of infections during the follow-up period (October 1, 2005-September 30, 2009) via multivariable regression analysis and time to infection via Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 45,247 patients who met the study criteria, 12,981 (29%) were statin users and 32,266 were nonusers. After adjustments for age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Score, tobacco use, alcohol abuse/dependence, health care utilization and use of specific medication classes, statin use was associated with an increased incidence of common infections (odds ratio [OR]: 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.19) but not influenza or fungal infections (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.80-1.39; OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.91-1.04, respectively). Time-to-first infection was similar in statin users and nonusers in all infection categories examined. CONCLUSIONS: Statin use was associated with an increased incidence of common infections but not influenza or fungal infections. This study does not support a protective role of statins in infection prevention; however, the influence of potential confounders cannot be excluded.
KW - Fungal
KW - Infection
KW - Influenza
KW - Statin
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U2 - 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e31828318e2
DO - 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e31828318e2
M3 - Article
C2 - 23426088
AN - SCOPUS:84896738723
SN - 0002-9629
VL - 347
SP - 211
EP - 216
JO - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
JF - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
IS - 3
ER -