Key result
Statins added to standard therapy for pulmonary hypertension did not significantly improve 6-minute walk distance (MD -0.33) compared to standard therapy alone.
Why the study?
Does adding statins to standard therapy improve 6-minute walk distance in adult patients with pulmonary hypertension?
Meta-Analysis (n=425)
Does adding statins to standard therapy improve 6-minute walk distance in adult patients with pulmonary hypertension?
The addition of statins to standard therapy does not provide significant clinical or hemodynamic benefits for patients with pulmonary hypertension, though potential benefits in the COPD subgroup warrant further investigation.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Adding statins yields no 6MWD benefit in PH; confirms lack of efficacy and leaves COPD subgroup open.
OBJECTIVES: We performed a meta-analysis to explore the effects of adding statins to standard treatment on adult patients of pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: A systematic search up to December, 2015 of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed to identify randomized controlled trials with PH patients treated with statins. RESULTS: Five studies involving 425 patients were included into this meta-analysis. The results of our analysis showed that the statins can't significantly increase 6-minute walking distance (6MWD, mean difference [MD] = -0.33 [CI: -18.25 to 17.59]), decrease the BORG dyspnea score (MD = -0.72 [CI: -2.28 to 0.85]), the clinical worsening risk (11% in statins vs. 10.1% in controls, Risk ratio = 1.06 [CI: 0.61, 1.83]), or the systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) (MD = -0.72 [CI: -2.28 to 0.85]). Subgroup analysis for PH due to COPD or non-COPD also showed no significance. CONCLUSIONS: Statins have no additional beneficial effect on standard therapy for PH, but the results from subgroup of PH due to COPD seem intriguing and further study with larger sample size and longer follow-up is suggested.
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Wang et al. (2016) conducted a meta-analysis in Pulmonary hypertension (n=425). Statins vs. Standard therapy alone was evaluated on Change in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) from baseline to week 24 (MD -0.33, 95% CI -18.25 to 17.59). Statins added to standard therapy for pulmonary hypertension did not significantly improve 6-minute walk distance (MD -0.33) compared to standard therapy alone.
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