title: Statin therapy is associated with a reduced risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver in overweight individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver or hepatic steatosis is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Statins are often used by patients with metabolic syndrome, but their effect in steatosis is not well established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between statins and the presence of steatosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the population-based Rotterdam Study, 2578 subjects underwent liver ultrasonography and had prescription data available. In a cross-sectional design, we investigated the effect of current, past, and duration of statin use. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and other known risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of steatosis was 35.3%. We identified 631 current and 359 past statin users. In multivariable analyses, current statin use >2 years was associated with a significantly lower steatosis prevalence [OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.19-0.96]. Stratification by mean body mass index showed that this association was stronger in patients with body mass index ≥ 27.5 [OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11-0.81 for current use >2 years], while in patients with body mass index <27.5 the association was non-significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the Rotterdam study, in patients with body mass index ≥ 27.5 current use of statins for >2 years was associated with a lower prevalence of steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; The Health Care Inspectorate, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: de Keyser
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edith M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Koehler
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeoffrey N L
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Schouten
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Pharmacy Foundation of The Hague Hospitals - HAGA, The Hague, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Loes E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Liver Clinic, Division of Gastroenterology, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Harry L A
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; The Health Care Inspectorate, The Hague, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.stricker@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Bruno H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Stricker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: Body mass index; HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors; Metabolic syndrome; Steatosis