TY - JOUR
T1 - Statins and Lower Gastrointestinal Conditions
T2 - A Retrospective Cohort Study
AU - Pearlman, Michelle
AU - Covin, Yvonne
AU - Schmidt, Robert
AU - Mortensen, Eric M.
AU - Mansi, Ishak A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology
PY - 2017/8
Y1 - 2017/8
N2 - Several studies have reported constipation, abdominal pain, or diarrhea as common adverse events for statins. Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications, and the impact on the prevalence of these conditions was rarely studied as main outcomes. The aim of this study is to determine if statin therapy is associated with constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or colitis. This was a retrospective cohort study using a regional military health care data from October 1, 2003, to March 1, 2012. A propensity score–matched cohort of statin users and nonusers was created based on 82 variables. The primary analysis evaluated the odds ratios of the following diagnoses: constipation, ≥3 encounters for constipation; abdominal pain, ≥3 encounters for abdominal pain; diarrhea, ≥3 encounters for diarrhea; colitis, ≥3 encounters for colitis; and endoscopy of the lower gastrointestinal tract, ≥3 endoscopies of the lower gastrointestinal tract. After propensity score matching of 6342 statin users and 6342 nonusers, there was no statistically significant difference in constipation (OR, 0.96; 95%CI, 0.87–1.05; P =.33), abdominal pain (OR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.88–1.02; P =.15), or colitis (OR, 1.02; 95%CI, 0.91–1.14; P =.73). However, there was an association between statin therapy and endoscopy of the lower gastrointestinal tract (OR, 1.14; 95%CI, 1.04–1.26; P =.002) and decreased odds of diarrhea (OR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.80–0.97; P =.01). In this retrospective cohort study, an association between statin therapy and increased likelihood of being diagnosed with lower gastrointestinal conditions could not be demonstrated, contrary to some statins package inserts.
AB - Several studies have reported constipation, abdominal pain, or diarrhea as common adverse events for statins. Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications, and the impact on the prevalence of these conditions was rarely studied as main outcomes. The aim of this study is to determine if statin therapy is associated with constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or colitis. This was a retrospective cohort study using a regional military health care data from October 1, 2003, to March 1, 2012. A propensity score–matched cohort of statin users and nonusers was created based on 82 variables. The primary analysis evaluated the odds ratios of the following diagnoses: constipation, ≥3 encounters for constipation; abdominal pain, ≥3 encounters for abdominal pain; diarrhea, ≥3 encounters for diarrhea; colitis, ≥3 encounters for colitis; and endoscopy of the lower gastrointestinal tract, ≥3 endoscopies of the lower gastrointestinal tract. After propensity score matching of 6342 statin users and 6342 nonusers, there was no statistically significant difference in constipation (OR, 0.96; 95%CI, 0.87–1.05; P =.33), abdominal pain (OR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.88–1.02; P =.15), or colitis (OR, 1.02; 95%CI, 0.91–1.14; P =.73). However, there was an association between statin therapy and endoscopy of the lower gastrointestinal tract (OR, 1.14; 95%CI, 1.04–1.26; P =.002) and decreased odds of diarrhea (OR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.80–0.97; P =.01). In this retrospective cohort study, an association between statin therapy and increased likelihood of being diagnosed with lower gastrointestinal conditions could not be demonstrated, contrary to some statins package inserts.
KW - abdominal pain
KW - colonoscopy
KW - constipation
KW - diarrhea
KW - statins
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U2 - 10.1002/jcph.895
DO - 10.1002/jcph.895
M3 - Article
C2 - 28398604
AN - SCOPUS:85017528559
SN - 0091-2700
VL - 57
SP - 1053
EP - 1063
JO - Journal of clinical pharmacology
JF - Journal of clinical pharmacology
IS - 8
ER -