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High-dose Statins, Fibrates May Significantly Reduce COPD Risk In Patients With Hyperlipidemia

By Dave Quaile, /alert Contributor
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Increase in the cumulative exposure of statins and fibrates may significantly reduce the risk of COPD among patients with hyperlipidemia when administered in high doses, according to a recent study published in Dovepress.

“This study is the first retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effects of statins and fibrates on COPD risk in patients with hyperlipidemia. An increased risk of COPD was observed in patients with hyperlipidemia compared with those without hyperlipidemia,” Yi-Fen Lei, MD, from the Department of Pharmacy, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 10449, Taiwan “Nevertheless, patients with hyperlipidemia who received statin and fibrate therapy were noted to have a significantly lower risk of developing COPD within 6 years with an increase in cumulative exposure. Furthermore, a dose-related effect of statins and fibrates on COPD risk was observed.”

To study the effect of statins and fibrates on the risk of COPD in patients with hyperlipidemia, Lei and colleagues used Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database to identify patients with hyperlipidemia between 2000 and 2016. 

The retrospective study had a follow-up of six years and used a Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the risk of COPD among different groups.

The researchers used the defined daily dose to evaluate the dose-related effects of statins and fibrates on the risk of COPD.

According to the study patients not using statins and fibrates had a significantly higher COPD risk compared with the other cohort, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.091 [95% CI: 1.034– 1.152, P < 0.01]. 

Lei and colleagues observed dose-dependent reduction in the risk of COPD in patients with hyperlipidemia using statins or fibrates compared with patients who did not receive the treatment. 

The researchers also noted that an increase in cumulative exposure resulted in a reduced risk of COPD in patients using more than 361 DDDs, with an adjusted HR of 0.474 (95% CI: 0.401– 0.559, P < 0.001). 

Patients treated with fibrate monotherapy using more than 541 DDDs had an adjusted HR of 0.454 (95% CI: 0.226– 0.910, P < 0.05) and those given statin monotherapy with over 361 DDDs had an adjusted HR of 0.583 (95% CI: 0.459– 0.740, P < 0.001), according to the study results. 

“Our findings indicated that statins and fibrates could decrease the risk of COPD in a dose-dependent manner,” the researchers wrote. “Nevertheless, further studies are warranted to determine whether statins and fibrates have the potential to be used clinically as preventive agents against COPD.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.