Statin treatment and kidney failure

A prospective open cohort study has examined and quantified the unintended risks and benefits of statins in a large representative primary care population over a six year period.

With respect to statin treatment and association with acute renal failure

• risk of acute renal failure was increased in both men and women prescribed simvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin and in women prescribed fluvastatin. The magnitudes of the adjusted hazard ratios were similar for each statin, ranging from 1.50 to 2.19, and direct comparisons showed no difference in risk by type of statin (P=0.91 in men, P=0.37 in women)
• NNH for an additional case of acute renal failure over five years was 434 (284 to 783)

Reference:

• 1) Hippisley-Cox J, Coupland C. Unintended effects of statins in men and women in England and Wales: population based cohort study using the QResearch database. BMJ 2010;340:c2197