Effect of statins on preventing infectious complications after surgery: Systematic review and meta-analysis

J Int Med Res. 2015 Oct;43(5):610-8. doi: 10.1177/0300060515583708. Epub 2015 Jul 20.

Abstract

Objective: *These authors contributed equally to this work.A meta-analysis to investigate the association between preoperative statin use and the risk of postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing surgery.

Methods: PubMed(®) and Embase(®) databases were searched for relevant studies. Data were extracted using a standardized data collection form. The primary effect measure was the odds ratio (OR) of postoperative infectious complications. Summary OR were calculated.

Results: The analysis included 10 cohort studies with a total of 147 263 participants. Statin use was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative infectious complications in all studies (summary OR 0.917, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.862, 0.975, fixed-effects model; summary OR 0.731, 95% CI 0.584, 0.870, random-effects model); cardiac surgery (summary OR 0.673; 95% CI 0.535, 0.847); treatment in the USA (summary OR 0.678; 95% CI 0.597, 0.770); retrospective cohort studies (summary OR 0.664; 95% CI 0.521, 0.846).

Conclusion: Preoperative statin use is associated with a reduced risk of postoperative infectious complications.

Keywords: Statin; postoperative infection; surgery.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Communicable Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Communicable Diseases / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Postoperative Complications / drug therapy*
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology*
  • Preoperative Care

Substances

  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors