Table 3.
Outcomes where short-term effects may be apparent—all time periods after the index date and first 12 months shown separately
| Outcome | Statin exposure | Median follow-up (years) | No. of outcomes (%) | Hazard ratio (99% CI) adjusted for age and sex | Hazard ratio (99% CI) fully adjusted* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infections: | |||||
| UTI | Unexposed | 4.0 | 46 894 (9.1) | 1.23 (1.19, 1.28) | 1.05 (1.00, 1.11) |
| Exposed | 3.6 | 5 829 (9.9) | |||
| Pneumonia | Unexposed | 4.2 | 8 004 (1.4) | 1.04 (0.95, 1.14) | 0.84 (0.74, 0.95) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 833 (1.2) | |||
| Pneumonia/death 6 months post-flu† | Unexposed | 262 (5.8) | 0.63 (0.38, 1.03) | 0.84 (0.39, 1.80) | |
| Exposed | 29 (3.6) | ||||
| Other RTI | Unexposed | 3.8 | 71 224 (15.7) | 1.27 (1.23, 1.31) | 1.09 (1.05, 1.13) |
| Exposed | 3.4 | 9 052 (18.1) | |||
| Myositis/myolysis‡ | Unexposed | 4.2 | 192 (0.03) | 3.82 (2.66, 5.49) | 2.38 (1.36, 4.16) |
| Exposed | 3.6 | 69 (0.11) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 35 (0.01) | 8.05 (4.17, 15.53) | 5.57 (1.93, 16.07) | |
| Exposed | 30 (0.04) | ||||
| Guillain–Barre syndrome | Unexposed | 4.2 | 75 (0.01) | 1.40 (0.61, 3.22) | 0.74 (0.23, 2.37) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 11 (0.02) | |||
| 1st year only§ | Unexposed | 16 (<0.01) | – | – | |
| Exposed | 3 (<0.01) | ||||
| Hepatic disorders | Unexposed | 4.2 | 7 808 (1.3) | 1.34 (1.23, 1.46) | 1.11 (0.98, 1.24) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 1 093 (1.6) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 1 618 (0.28) | 1.66 (1.41, 1.95) | 1.51 (1.19, 1.91) | |
| Exposed | 296 (0.44) | ||||
| Anaemia | Unexposed | 4.2 | 12 242 (2.1) | 1.47 (1.38, 1.57) | 0.99 (0.91, 1.08) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 1 785 (2.6) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 2 172 (0.37) | 1.46 (1.26, 1.70) | 1.12 (0.91, 1.37) | |
| Exposed | 334 (0.49) | ||||
| Thrombocytopenia | Unexposed | 4.2 | 855 (0.14) | 1.28 (0.99, 1.66) | 1.05 (0.74, 1.48) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 111 (0.16) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 41 (0.04) | 1.16 (0.62, 2.18) | 0.82 (0.37, 1.84) | |
| Exposed | 14 (0.04) | ||||
| Hypersensitivity | Unexposed | 4.1 | 18 242 (3.1) | 1.31 (1.24, 1.38) | 1.14 (1.05, 1.23) |
| Exposed | 3.7 | 2 569 (3.7) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 4 554 (0.76) | 1.42 (1.28, 1.57) | 1.35 (1.17, 1.56) | |
| Exposed | 740 (1.1) | ||||
| Pancreatitis | Unexposed | 4.2 | 1 213 (0.20) | 1.22 (0.98, 1.52) | 0.91 (0.68, 1.22) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 156 (0.23) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 244 (0.04) | 1.22 (0.75, 1.96) | 0.83 (0.44, 1.57) | |
| Exposed | 33 (0.05) | ||||
| Alopecia | Unexposed | 4.2 | 3 280 (0.55) | 1.37 (1.21, 1.56) | 1.16 (0.98, 1.39) |
| Exposed | 3.8 | 489 (0.71) | |||
| 1st year only | Unexposed | 706 (0.12) | 1.46 (1.13, 1.89) | 1.35 (0.93, 1.94) | |
| Exposed | 120 (0.17) |
Adjusted for age, sex, propensity score, year of index date, first diagnosis of any of the following post-index date: diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, other atheroma, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, other circulatory disease, cancer, dementia, first use of any of the following post-index date: aspirin, nitrates, fibrates, β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, potassium channel activators, diuretics, positive inotropes, anticoagulants, antihypertensives, or other cardiovascular drugs.
Analysis restricted to patients with a diagnosis of influenza between 1 October and 1 March in any year from 1995 to 2006.
Excluding 4953 patients exposed to cerivastatin (now withdrawn because of its established effects on rhabdomyolysis).
Too few outcomes to calculate an effect measure.