title: An epidemiological study of the effects of statin use on airflow limitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered to be a systemic inflammatory disease, and systemic inflammation has been noted as a factor contributing to cardiovascular disease, which is one of the comorbidities associated with COPD. On the other hand, pleiotropic effects, such as the anti-inflammatory effects of statins, have attracted attention in recent years, and there have been a variety of reports regarding the usefulness of statins for patients with COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated whether the use or non-use of statins influenced the prevalence of airflow limitation. All outpatients who were over the age of 40 years and who regularly visited a primary health care facility were invited to participate. Each participant underwent spirometry and completed a questionnaire regarding their clinical status, which was used to screen for COPD. A variety of factors that are potentially related to airflow limitation were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 853 patients included in the study, 81 (9.5%) had airflow limitation. The prevalence of airflow limitation was 2.3% among the 89 patients with a history of statin use, which was five times lower than the prevalence of airflow limitation among patients who had not used statins (10.5%). Among the 347 patients with a history of past or current smoking, airflow limitation was not observed in the 30 patients who had used statins. However, by multivariate analysis, statin use was not significantly associated with a lower prevalence of airflow limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first cross-sectional study from Japan that has demonstrated that statin use has a potential impact on airflow limitation in patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan. bando034@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bando
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Owada
authors.forename: Michiyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terakado
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors