Effect of statin therapy on pulse wave velocity: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ABSTRACT

Background and Objective: Arterial stiffness (AS) is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. A number of studies have reported a beneficial role of statins on AS albeit with controversial results, in addition to their effects on lipid profile. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analysis of the available randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of statin therapy on AS, in the attempt to reach more definitive conclusions. Methods: A systematic search of the on-line databases available up to March 2017 was conducted, including intervention studies reporting AS expressed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), as difference between the effects of treatment with or without statins. For each study, mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using a random effect model. Results: Eleven studies met the pre-defined inclusion criteria, for a total of 573 participants and 2–144 weeks’ intervention time. In the pooled analysis, statin therapy was associated with a −6.8% (95% C.I.: −11.7 to −1.8) reduction in PWV. There was significant heterogeneity among studies (I² = 96%); none of the study characteristics seems to have influenced the effect of statin use on PWV. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that statin therapy reduces AS. This effect appears to be at least in part independent of the changes in blood pressure and lipid profile.

KEYWORDS:

• Pulse wave velocity
• Arterial stiffness
• Statins
• HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors
• Cardiovascular disease prevention
• Meta-analysis

Acknowledgments

We thank Rosanna Scala for technical support.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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Additional information

Funding

The study was not supported by external funding.

Notes on contributors

Lanfranco D’elia

Research idea and study design: LD, ELF; data acquisition: LD,ELF; data analysis/interpretation: LD,ELF,AI; statistical analysis: LD,ELF; supervision or mentorship: PR. Each author contributed important intellectual content during manuscript drafting or revision and accepts accountability for the overall work by ensuring that questions pertaining to the accuracy or integrity of any portion of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.