Statins associated with reduced mortality in patients admitted for congestive heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Statins may be of potential benefit in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) due to modulation of neurohormones and their antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antifibrotic properties. To test this hypothesis, we performed a case-control study by using a prospective registry of patients admitted to our hospital for CHF.


RESULTS
The Maastricht Registry of Congestive Heart Failure consists of a cohort of all patients who were admitted to the University Hospital Maastricht because of CHF for the first time between 1998 and 2000. Elective admissions were not included in the database. Drug treatment was left at the discretion of the attending physician. From a total of 840 patients admitted, we selected patients with an uncomplicated survival for at least 1 month after hospital discharge. For each survivor a nonsurvivor was matched for age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, and renal function. Drugs were considered in use only if they were administered for at least 90% of follow-up time. Five hundred twenty-four patients were included with a mean follow-up after discharge of 31 +/- 18 months. Twenty percent used statins. In Cox multivariate regression analysis, the use of statins remained significantly associated with decreased mortality independent of the cause of CHF. However, there appeared no additional benefit of statins in patients using beta-blockers. Mortality rates were constant over time after discharge. Statins were as effective in ischemic as in nonischemic heart failure and in patients with depressed as well as preserved LVEF.


CONCLUSIONS
Statins appear associated with improved survival in CHF independent of its etiology. No additional benefit was seen in patients treated with beta-blockers.
Folkeringa
Richard J
RJ
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Maastricht, P. Debyelaan 25, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Van Kraaij
Dave J
DJ
Tieleman
Robert G
RG
Nieman
Fred H M
FH
Pinto
Yigal M
YM
Crijns
Harry J G M
HJ
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D009566:Nitrates