title: Statin therapy and atrial fibrillation:  systematic review and updated meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Whether statins may prevent atrial fibrillation remains a subject of debate. An updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials with statins that collected data on the incidence or recurrence of atrial fibrillation was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two published studies with 71 005 patients were included in the analysis. Overall, the use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with controls [odds ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.83, P < 0.0001] with heterogeneous results. The benefit of statin therapy appeared highly significant for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation (homogeneous OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.28-0.51, P < 0.00001). Benefit was not apparent for the prevention of new-onset atrial fibrillation (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.86-1.15, P = 0.95) but was significant for secondary prevention of atrial fibrillation (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36-0.91, P = 0.02 with significant heterogeneity). There was no reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation with more intensive vs. standard statin regimens (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.77-1.32, P = 0.96).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with sinus rhythm. The highest benefit was seen for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation and in secondary prevention of atrial fibrillation, with a heterogeneity that deserves further clarification.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Trousseau, Tours, France. lfau@med.univ-tours.fr
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fauchier
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clementy
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babuty
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors