title: Statin impact on disease activity and C-reactive protein concentrations in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Efficacy and safety of statin therapy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate whether statin therapy affects SLE disease activity and systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP) according to the evidence from controlled clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review followed by a bibliographic search in Medline and SCOPUS (up to March 2015) was performed. Quantitative data synthesis was performed using a random-effects model and the generic inverse variance weighting method. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Meta-analysis of five controlled trials reporting statin impact on SLE disease activity did not suggest any significant effect of statin therapy on SLEDAI. Evaluation of seven controlled trials with reported effects on CRP levels suggested a significant reduction of plasma CRP concentrations in patients with SLE independent of the treatment duration. The effect size on plasma CRP concentrations was significant with lipophilic (atorvastatin) but not hydrophilic (pravastatin and rosuvastatin) statins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that statin therapy is likely to be safe in patients with SLE. In addition, statin-treated SLE patients may benefit from CRP reduction in terms of managing severe cardiovascular complications associated with the disease.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Metabolic Research Center, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
authors.affiliation: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rathouska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Center for the Study of Endocrine-Metabolic Pathophysiology and Clinical Research, University of Pavia, Italy; Molecular Medicine Laboratory, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; PhD School in Experimental Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Derosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Medicine Laboratory, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; PhD School in Experimental Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maffioli
authors.affiliation: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nachtigal
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; Meta-analysis; Statin; Systemic lupus erythematosus