ATS: Meta-Analysis Confirms Statins' Anti-Thrombotic Effect

Research finds statins decrease risk of pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis

31 may 2010-- The preponderance of evidence shows that statins do decrease the risk of venous thromboembolism, according to research presented May 16 at the annual international conference of the American Thoracic Society, held in New Orleans May 14-19, and published in the May issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

V. Agarwal, of the University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 10 studies that evaluated the effect of statin drugs on deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) or any venous thromboembolism (VTE), defined as DVT and/or PE. Only one randomized trial, JUPITER, met the inclusion criteria.

In JUPITER, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for VTE was 0.57; the AORs for DVT only and PE only were 0.45 and 0.77, respectively. Observational studies showed less risk reduction for VTE and DVT, but a larger risk reduction for PE. For all studies combined, the effect of statins was a 32 percent risk reduction for VTE, a 41 percent risk reduction for DVT only, and a 30 percent risk reduction for PE only.

"The totality of clinical study evidence suggests that statins can reduce patients' odds of developing DVT or PE," the authors write.

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