The effect of statins for asthma. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of statins on asthma by systematically reviewing and conducting a meta-analysis on all clinical studies, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies, that examined the effects of statins on asthma.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE databases, and Cochrane reviews were searched to identify RCTs and observational studies, conducted through June 16, 2020, that assessed the effect of statins as a treatment for asthma. A meta-analysis was conducted using the following main outcomes: asthma control test (ACT), asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), pre- and post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak flow (PEF), and asthma exacerbation (asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization).

RESULTS

Our search revealed 11 RCTs and 8 observational studies that met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis demonstrated that statin treatment significantly improved ACT scores (mean difference: 1.61,  < 0.001) and ACQ scores (mean difference: -0.38,  < 0.001) compared to a placebo. Furthermore, statin treatment significantly reduced asthma-related ED visits (hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 [0.75-0.92],  < 0.001, number needed to treat [NNT], 5.9). However, statin treatment did not improve pulmonary function (FEV1 and PEF).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that statins have the potential to improve asthma control and reduce asthma exacerbation without any improvement in pulmonary function.

UNLABELLED

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