Statins may reduce risk of fractures in elderly men: Study

A new study highlighted a potential link between statin therapy and a lower risk of fractures, particularly in older male individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This research published in the PLOS ONE journal provides fresh insights based on an extensive analysis of U.S. population data.

The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2001 to 2020, examined the records of 9,893 participants. This research investigated whether statin use influenced fracture risks in the general population and among individuals with CVDs. Statin and fracture histories were gathered through questionnaires, and weighted logistic regressions were conducted to identify any significant associations.

The key findings indicate that statin use is associated with a reduced risk of fractures in men aged over 50 who had been on the medication for less than 3 years. These protective effects were primarily observed with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, two commonly prescribed statins. Adjustments were made for potential confounding factors, including calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

Also, the protective benefits of statins were more pronounced in individuals with CVDs (odds ratio [OR]: 0.4366; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2664 to 0.7154; P = 0.0014) and in the ones without diabetes (OR: 0.3632; 95% CI: 0.1712 to 0.7704; P = 0.0091). However, the study found no evidence that the levels of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) or vitamin D metabolites (25[OH]D) mediated the observed effects, suggesting that the benefits might arise from other pathways.