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Does Statin Use Attenuate Lung Function Decline?

In their article, Dr. Alexeeff and colleagues report an attenuated decline in lung function attributable to statin use in elderly men (1). The authors speculate that statins' antiinflammatory properties may protect the lung. In this observational analysis, subjects were categorically divided into "statin users" and "not using statins" based on subject self-reports collected by questionnaire. No other data about statin use, such as dose and duration of exposure, are presented. Other investigators have reported the antiinflammatory effects of statins to be dose dependent (2–6). The hypothesis that statin use reduces age-related decline in lung function would be strengthened if a biological gradient between exposure and response or a threshold effect were demonstrated. The authors should report any information about statin type, dose, and duration of use and their potential relationships with lung function change.

The statistical results of the study warrant clarification: the numbers noted for declines in FEV₁ and FVC in the RESULTS differ from those in Table 3, and the remaining tables appear to describe characteristics of the baseline cohort rather than the 803-patient analytic cohort.

Nayer Khazeni

Stanford University
Stanford, California

Ware G. Kuschner and Michael K. Gould

VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Palo Alto, California

FOOTNOTES

Conflict of Interest Statement: None of the authors has a financial relationship with a commercial entity that has an interest in the subject of this manuscript.

REFERENCES

1. Alexeeff SE, Litonjua AA, Sparrow D, Vokonas PS, Schwartz J. Statin use reduces decline in lung function: VA Normative Aging Study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;176:742–747.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Frost FJ, Petersen H, Tollestrup K, Skipper B. Influenza and COPD mortality protection as pleiotropic, dose-dependent effects of statins. Chest 2007;131:1006–1012.[CrossRef][Medline]
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5. Pignatelli P, Sanguigni V, Lenti L, Loffredo L, Carnevale R, Sorge R, Violi F. Oxidative stress-mediated platelet CD40 ligand upregulation in patients with hypercholesterolemia: effect of atorvastatin. J Thromb Haemost 2007;5:1170–1178.[CrossRef][Medline]
6. Monetti M, Canavesi M, Camera M, Parente R, Paoletti R, Tremoli E, Corsini A, Bellosta S. Rosuvastatin displays anti-atherothrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties in apoE-deficient mice. Pharmacol Res 2007;55:441–449.[CrossRef][Medline]

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