Due to chronic inflammation, RA patients are at increased risk of mortality, CVD, and T2DM. Statins, which are the most commonly utilized intervention to improve CVD outcomes in the general population, have also been shown to increase T2DM risk.

Study Design 

Investigators included patients with RA from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink who were registered between 1989 and 2018. Investigators defined statin use as a first-time prescription of atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, and/or cerivastatin. Patients who initiated statins were matched to two non-users Patients were followed until the composite endpoint of myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, CVD-mortality, all-cause mortality, and incident T2DM was reached. 

Results and Conclusions

The study included 1768 statin users and 3528 non-users. Initiation of statins was associated with a 32% reduction in CVD (HR=0.68) and a 54% reduction in all-cause mortality (HR=0.46). Given that all-cause mortality benefits exceeded CVD event reduction, the study’s authors concluded that this suggests that statins may exert additional effects beyond their lipid-lowering properties. Investigators observed a 33% increase in T2DM  (HR=1.33)in statin users. 

Related Research

Consider these findings from similar research studies:

• Current statin use is associated with a 28% lower risk of death in RA patients (Source). 

• Statin use in RA patients is associated with a reduced risk of new-onset acute coronary syndrome (Source)