title: Statins and prevention of infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of data from large randomised placebo controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the potential of statins to lower the risk of infections as published in observational studies is causal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo controlled trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised placebo controlled trials of statins (up to 10 March 2011) enrolling a minimum of 100 participants, with follow-up for at least one year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infection or infection related death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first study selection yielded 632 trials. After screening of the corresponding abstracts and full text papers, 11 trials totalling 30 947 participants were included. 4655 of the participants (2368 assigned to statins and 2287 assigned to placebo) reported an infection during treatment. Meta-analysis showed no effect of statins on the risk of infections (relative risk 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 1.05) or on infection related deaths (0.97, 0.83 to 1.13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings do not support the hypothesis that statins reduce the risk of infections. Absence of any evidence for a beneficial effect in large placebo controlled trials reduces the likelihood of a causal effect as reported in observational studies.
authors: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands. e.van.de.garde@antoniusziekenhuis.nl
authors: Hester L
authors: HL
authors: van den Hoek
authors: Willem Jan W
authors: WJ
authors: Bos
authors: Anthonius
authors: A
authors: de Boer
authors: Ewoudt M W
authors: EM
authors: van de Garde
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors