Statin treatment and mortality in bacterial infections--a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have reported improved survival in severe bacterial infections among statin treated patients. In addition, statins have been ascribed beneficial anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of statin-treatment on mortality in patients with bacterial infections, by means of a systematic review and a meta-analysis.


RESULTS
Studies investigating the association between statin use and mortality in patients with bacterial disease were identified in a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the overall odds ratio of mortality in statin users. The literature search identified 947 citations from which 40 relevant studies were extracted. In all, 15 studies comprising 113,910 patients were included in the final analysis. Statin use was associated with a significantly (p<0.0001) reduced mortality in patients suffering from bacterial infections (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.42-0.66). However, all studies included were of observational design and funnel plot analyses indicated influence by a possible publication bias (Egger's bias test p<0.05). When a precision estimate test was used to adjust for publication bias the effect of statin treatment was no longer significant, with an OR of 0.79 (95% CI 0.58-1.07).


CONCLUSIONS
According to the meta-analysis of observational studies presented here, patients on statin therapy seem to have a better outcome in bacterial infections. However, the association did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for apparent publication bias. Thus, there is a great need for randomised controlled trials investigating the possible beneficial effect of statins in bacterial infections.
Björkhem-Bergman
Linda
L
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. linda.bjorkhem-bergman@karolinska.se
Bergman
Peter
P
Andersson
Jan
J
Lindh
Jonatan D
JD
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors