Statins Linked to Reduced Poststroke Infection Risk

Use of statins was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of infections in patients following an ischemic stroke, according to the results of a recent study.¹

The immunomodulatory and peripheral anti-inflammatory properties of statins have led to debate about their effectiveness in lowering the risk of poststroke infection.
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To further explore this possibility, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of 1612 patients, 1151 of whom had been exposed to statins and 461 of whom had not.

Overall, infection developed in 20% of the statin-exposed patients and 41% of those who had not been exposed to statins, a 58% reduction in risk of infection. Statins lowered infection risk in patients with a nasogastric tube, patients with dysphagia, and patients of both sexes, but they did not change infection risk for patients with endotracheal intubation.

“The administration of statins relative to infection is critically important,” the researchers commented.² “We’ve been able to establish that if statins are given early, before infection can occur, the risk of infection is substantially reduced. However, this relationship needs to be tested in more rigorous placebo-controlled studies to see if this benefit with statins is maintained.”

—Michael Potts

References:

1. Weeks DL, Greer CL, Willson MN. Statin medication use and nosocomial infection risk in the acute phase of stroke [published online June 16, 2016]. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2016.05.033.
2. Statin drugs reduce infection risk in stroke patients [press release]. Spokane, WA: Washington State University; June 16, 2016. https://news.wsu.edu/2016/06/16/statin-drugs-reduce-infection-risk-stroke-patients/. Accessed June 17, 2016