title: Statin use and leg functioning in patients with and without lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We determined whether statin use (versus nonuse) is associated with superior lower-extremity functioning independently of cholesterol levels and other confounders in patients with and without peripheral arterial disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants included 392 men and women with an ankle brachial index (ABI) <0.90 and 249 with ABI 0.90 to 1.50. Functional outcomes included 6-minute walk distance and 4-meter walking velocity. A summary performance score combined performance in walking speed, standing balance, and time for 5 repeated chair rises into an ordinal score ranging from 0 to 12 (12=best). Adjusting for age, sex, ABI, comorbidities, education level, medical insurance status, cholesterol, and other confounders, participants taking statins had better 6-minute walk performance (1276 versus 1218 feet, P=0.045), faster walking velocity (0.93 versus 0.89 m/s, P=0.006), and a higher summary performance score (10.2 versus 9.4, P<0.001) than participants not taking statins. Positive associations were attenuated slightly after additional adjustment for C-reactive protein level but remained statistically significant for walking velocity and the summary performance score. We did not find significant associations between lower-extremity functioning and aspirin, ACE inhibitors, vasodilators, or beta-blockers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statin use is associated with superior leg functioning compared with no statin use, independent of cholesterol levels and other potential confounders. These data suggest that non-cholesterol-lowering properties of statins may favorably influence functioning in persons with and without peripheral arterial disease.
authors.affiliation: Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill., USA. mdm608@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Mary McGrae
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Jack M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guralnik
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Criqui
authors.forename: Kiang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Cheeling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ridker
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quann
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D001241:Aspirin