Comparison of frequency of inflammatory bowel disease and noninfectious gastroenteritis among statin users versus nonusers

Conflicting data exist regarding the effects of statin therapy on the prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases. We aimed to examine the association of statin therapy with diagnoses of inflammatory bowel diseases and noninfectious gastroenteritis. This is a retrospective study using data of a military health care system from October 1, 2003, to March 1, 2012. Based on medication fills during fiscal year 2005, patients were divided into: (1) statin users (received at least 90-day supply of statin) and (2) nonusers (never received a statin). A propensity score-matched cohort of statin users and nonusers was created using 80 variables. Primary analysis examined the risks of being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel diseases and noninfectious gastroenteritis between statin users and nonusers in the propensity score-matched cohort. Secondary analyses examined the risk of outcomes in the whole cohort and in patients with no comorbidities according to Charlson Comorbidity Index. Of 43,438 patients meeting study criteria (13,626 statin users and 29,812 nonusers), we propensity score matched 6,342 statin users with 6,342 nonusers. For our primary analysis, 93 statin users and 92 nonusers were diagnosed with inflammatory bowel diseases (odds ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.76 to 1.35), and 632 statin users and 619 nonusers were diagnosed of noninfectious gastroenteritis (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 0.91 to 1.15). In conclusion, the risks of inflammatory bowel diseases and noninfectious gastroenteritis among statin users and nonusers are similar after adjusting for other potential confounding factors.