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

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.