Tong Min Kim1, Hyunah Kim2, Yoo Jin Jeong1, Sun Jung Baik1, So Jung Yang1, Seung-Hwan Lee3, Jae-Hyoung Cho3, Hyunyong Lee4, Hyeon Woo Yim5, In Young Choi1, Kun-Ho Yoon1,3, Hun-Sung Kim1,3. 1. Department of Medical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary''s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Clinical Research Coordinating Center, Catholic Medical Center, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 5. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Very few studies conducted in Korea have investigated the relationship between statins and the incidence of diabetes. Therefore, we analyzed the progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes and then to diabetes mellitus (DM) according to the type, intensity, and dose of statin prescribed. METHODS: Data of patients who were first prescribed statins between 2009 and 2011 were extracted from electronic medical records. Patients with normal blood glucose or prediabetes were observed for 4 years after initiation of statin therapy. RESULTS: A total of 2890 patients were included in our study and analyzed on the basis of the first statin they were prescribed. The incidence rate of DM in patients with prediabetes was 1.72 times that of patients with normal glucose levels (odds ratio = 1.72, 95% confidence interval = 1.41-2.10, P < .001). Regarding progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes, the incidence rate of prediabetes was significantly lower in patients prescribed pitavastatin (odds ratio = 0.62, 95% confidence interval = 0.40-0.96, P = .031) compared to that in patients prescribed atorvastatin. Regarding the progression from normal blood glucose or prediabetes to DM, there were no significant differences among all statins. CONCLUSIONS: Lower DM incidence in patients prescribed pitavastatin appears to be primarily because of the lower rate of progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes. These findings indicate that avoiding statins because of DM risk is unjustified and that clinicians should prescribe statins from the appropriate potency group.
BACKGROUND: Very few studies conducted in Korea have investigated the relationship between statins and the incidence of diabetes. Therefore, we analyzed the progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes and then to diabetes mellitus (DM) according to the type, intensity, and dose of statin prescribed. METHODS: Data of patients who were first prescribed statins between 2009 and 2011 were extracted from electronic medical records. Patients with normal blood glucose or prediabetes were observed for 4 years after initiation of statin therapy. RESULTS: A total of 2890 patients were included in our study and analyzed on the basis of the first statin they were prescribed. The incidence rate of DM in patients with prediabetes was 1.72 times that of patients with normal glucose levels (odds ratio = 1.72, 95% confidence interval = 1.41-2.10, P < .001). Regarding progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes, the incidence rate of prediabetes was significantly lower in patients prescribed pitavastatin (odds ratio = 0.62, 95% confidence interval = 0.40-0.96, P = .031) compared to that in patients prescribed atorvastatin. Regarding the progression from normal blood glucose or prediabetes to DM, there were no significant differences among all statins. CONCLUSIONS: Lower DM incidence in patients prescribed pitavastatin appears to be primarily because of the lower rate of progression from normal blood glucose to prediabetes. These findings indicate that avoiding statins because of DM risk is unjustified and that clinicians should prescribe statins from the appropriate potency group.
Authors: Rebecca M Joseph; Tjeerd P van Staa; Mark Lunt; Michal Abrahamowicz; William G Dixon Journal: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf Date: 2018-09-28 Impact factor: 2.890