She suggests that the higher doses of statin may deserve consideration by clinicians who treat individuals who have a high risk of RA and who require cholesterol-lowering therapy.
The results of the study build on mixed findings from previous studies of the effect of statin use on the risk of RA. One of these studies found that high persistence of statin treatment was associated with a substantial decrease in the risk of RA relative to low persistence.2 Another showed an increased risk of RA with statin use.3 Finally, observational studies in the U.K. have found no association between statin use and risk of RA.4,5
Although the results from previous studies have been contradictory, Dr. Hudson expected the results that they found.
“I don’t think we were surprised, given what is known about the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of statins,” she explains. “However, it was exciting to confirm that these known properties of statins could translate into meaningful differences in health outcomes.”
Additionally, because RA shares genetic, immunological and environmental pathways with other systemic autoimmune diseases, the investigators hypothesize that other rheumatological diseases may also be influenced by treatment with statins.
“Our study provides robust evidence of a protective effect of high-intensity statins on the risk of RA,” conclude the authors. “It remains to be determined whether high-intensity statin treatment prevents RA or merely delays its onset.”
Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer based in the Chicago area.
Reference
- Tascilar K, Dell’Aniello S, Hudson M, et al. Statins and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A nested case-control study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 Nov;68(11):2603–2611. doi: 10.1002/art.39774.
