title: The effect of statins on average survival in randomised trials, an analysis of end point postponement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the average postponement of death in statin trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature review of all statin trials that presented all-cause survival curves for treated and untreated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statin treatment compared to placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The average postponement of death as represented by the area between the survival curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6 studies for primary prevention and 5 for secondary prevention with a follow-up between 2.0 and 6.1 years were identified. Death was postponed between -5 and 19 days in primary prevention trials and between -10 and 27 days in secondary prevention trials. The median postponement of death for primary and secondary prevention trials were 3.2 and 4.1 days, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statin treatment results in a surprisingly small average gain in overall survival within the trials' running time. For patients whose life expectancy is limited or who have adverse effects of treatment, withholding statin therapy should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Malene Lopez
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Palle Mark
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallas
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY