title: Prior statin therapy is associated with milder course and better outcome in acute pancreatitis--a cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statin treatment was shown to be associated with improved outcomes in several inflammatory conditions. We wanted to evaluate the effects of statin therapy on the course and outcome of acute pancreatitis (AP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study included patients with acute pancreatitis divided into two groups according to statin use prior to hospitalization. Age, sex, etiology of AP, Ranson's score, APACHE II score and maximal CRP were recorded. Outcome measures were hospital length of stay and mortality. Matching of patients for matched analyses was done using individual matching and propensity score matching using variables a priori associated with course and outcome of acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inclusion criteria were met for 1062 patients of whom 92 were taking statins. Statin users were older and had higher body mass indexes. Severe disease was more common in the no-statin group than in statin group (20.6% vs. 8.7% respectively). All severity markers were also higher in the no-statin group. All cause mortality was not different, while cardiovascular mortality was higher in the statin group in the cohort analysis. After matching by either method, the severity of disease was greater for the patients without statins treatment. Pancreatitis related mortality was higher in the no-statin group after matching. Among patients who developed severe AP, statin users showed lower Ranson's and APACHE II scores and lower maximal CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prior statin treatment significantly reduces morbidity and mortality in acute pancreatitis. Further studies are needed to evaluate possible therapeutic use of statins in acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Medicine, Kispaticeva 12, Zagreb, Croatia. ivan.gornik@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gornik
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gašparović
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gubarev Vrdoljak
authors.forename: Arta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haxiu
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vucelić
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D057216:Propensity Score; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors