Comparison of the effect on long-term outcomes in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms of taking versus not taking a statin drug.
The potential of medical therapy to influence the courses and outcomes of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms is not known. The aim of this study was to determine whether statin intake is associated with improved long-term outcomes in these patients. A total of 649 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms were studied, of whom 147 were taking statins at their first presentation and 502 were not. After a median follow-up period of 3.6 years, 30 patients (20%) taking statins had died, compared with 167 patients (33%) not taking statins (hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 1, p = 0.049); 87 patients (59%) taking statins reached the composite end point of death, rupture, dissection, or repair compared with 378 patients (75%) not taking statins (hazard ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.91, p = 0.006). After adjustments for co-morbidities, the association between statin therapy and the composite end point was driven mainly by a reduction in aneurysm repairs (hazard ratio 0.57 95% confidence interval 0.4 to 0.83, p = 0.003). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, the survival rate of patients taking statins was significantly better (p = 0.047). In conclusion, the intake of stains was associated with an improvement in long-term outcomes in this cohort of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms. This was driven mainly by a reduction in aneurysm repairs.
Department of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. isjovin@yahoo.com
Ion S
IS
Jovin
Mona
M
Duggal
Keita
K
Ebisu
Hyung
H
Paek
A Dana
AD
Oprea
Maryann
M
Tranquilli
John
J
Rizzo
Redin
R
Memet
Marina
M
Feldman
James
J
Dziura
Cynthia A
CA
Brandt
John A
JA
Elefteriades
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors