For hospitalized patients with COVID-19, statins do not offer benefits, and may even increase the risk for severe disease, according to a study published in PLOS One. Samuel K. Ayeh, MBChB, MPH, and colleagues examined the association between statin use and COVID-19 severity in hospitalized patients admitted from March 1 to June 30, 2020. The researchers found that 13.4% of 4,447 patients who met the inclusion criteria were exposed to statins on admission. The relative risks for the average treatment effect of statins on COVID-19-related mortality and severe COVID-19 infection were 1.00 (95% CI, 0.99-1.01; P=0.928) and 1.18 (95% CI, 1.11-1.27; P<0.001), respectively. “Our study revealed that [statins’] specific use to treat COVID-19 is probably not merited,” a co-author said in a statement.

Author