Statin use is associated with an 18% increased risk of diabetes

This study was published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2013 Apr;75(4):1118-24

 

Study title and authors:

Statins and risk of treated incident diabetes in a primary care population.

Zaharan NL, Williams D, Bennett K.

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22845189

The aims of this study were to:
(i) Examine the incidence of new onset diabetes in patients treated with different types of statins. 
(ii) Examine the relationship between the duration and dose of statins and the subsequent development of new onset diabetes.

The study included 1,235,671 individuals who were followed for eight years.

The study found:
(a) Statin use was associated with an 18% increased risk of new onset diabetes.
(b) There was a statistically significant overall dose and duration effect increase in new onset diabetes for all statins, excepting fluvastatin, which only demonstrated a duration effect.

The researchers concluded: "An increased risk of new onset treated diabetes was found in those treated with statins showing significant duration and dose effect".

Statins increase the risk of diabetes

This study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2010 Mar 23;55(12):1209-16

 

Study title and authors:

Atorvastatin causes insulin resistance and increases ambient glycemia in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Koh KK, Quon MJ, Han SH, Lee Y, Kim SJ, Shin EK.

Department of Cardiology, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. kwangk@gilhospital.com

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20298928

This study investigated the association between statins and diabetes risk. The study was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study that was conducted in 44 patients taking placebo and in 42, 44, 43, and 40 patients given daily atorvastatin 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg, respectively, during a two-month treatment period.

The study found:
(a) Atorvastatin at 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg daily significantly increased fasting insulin levels by 25%, 42%, 31%, and 45%, respectively.
(b) Atorvastatin at 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg daily significantly increased glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c levels) by 2%, 5%, 5%, and 5%, respectively.
(c) Atorvastatin at 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg daily decreased insulin sensitivity by 1%, 3%, 3%, and 4%, respectively.

Stain treatment increased fasting insulin levels, increased glycated hemoglobin levels and decreased insulin sensitivity which all indicate an increased risk of diabetes.

Analysis of data from randomised statin trials finds that statin users have a 6% increased risk of diabetes

This paper was published in Diabetes Care 2009 Oct;32(10):1924-9

 

Study title and authors:

Statin therapy and risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Rajpathak SN, Kumbhani DJ, Crandall J, Barzilai N, Alderman M, Ridker PM.

Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York. srajpath@aecom.yu.edu

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19794004/

This paper is a meta-analysis of randomised statin trials that evaluated the effect of statin therapy on diabetes risk. The researchers conducted a systematic literature search for randomised statin trials that reported data on diabetes. They found six trials which included 57,593 patients with an average follow-up of 3.9 years during which 2,082 diabetes cases accrued.

This analysis of six randomised statin trials found that statin use was associated with a 6% increase in the incidence of diabetes.

Medical records show that statins are associated with a 14% increased risk of type two diabetes

This study was published in Diabetes Care 2012 Dec 17

Study title and authors:
Statins and Risk of Diabetes: An analysis of electronic medical records to evaluate possible bias due to differential survival.

Danaei G, Rodríguez LA, Cantero OF, Hernán MA.
Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23248196

This study investigated the relationship between statins and type two diabetes. Data was drawn from the medical records of 285,864 men and women aged 50-84 years who were followed for ten years.

The study found that statin therapy was associated with a 14% increased risk of type two diabetes.

Statins may trigger the onset and worsening of diabetes

This paper was published in Endocrine Journal 2005 Jun;52(3):369-72

 

Study title and authors:

Acute onset and worsening of diabetes concurrent with administration of statins.

Ohmura C, Watada H, Hirose T, Tanaka Y, Kawamori R.

Department of Medicine, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16006732

This paper reports a patient in whom the administration of statins might have triggered the onset and worsening of diabetes. The patient was a 48-year-old man who underwent annual medical examination but had never been told of high blood sugar.

The paper found:
(a) Four months after the commencement of atorvastatin (10 mg/day) treatment, a diagnosis of diabetes was made from his symptoms of high blood sugar.
(i) His after meal glucose level had risen to 29.8 mmol/l (536 mg/dL). Normal levels are below 8.1 mmol/L (8.1 mmol/L).
(ii) His HbA1c levels (a measurement of average blood sugar levels over the previous three months) had risen to 11.5%. Normal levels are below 5.6%.
(b) Three months after the cessation of atorvastatin, almost complete resolution of diabetes was observed.
(c) During the subsequent three months, diet therapy alone was sufficient to control blood sugar levels.
(d) Pravastatin (20 mg/day) was then prescribed and during the next three months his HbA1c levels gradually increased.
(e) After discontinuation of pravastatin, his HbA1c levels gradually decreased.

This case shows that statins may trigger the onset and worsening of diabetes.

Statins increase the risk of diabetes

This study was published in Circulation 2010; 122: A14293

Study title and authors:
Does Therapy With Statins Increase Risk Of Diabetes?
Renata Giudice; Giovanni de Simone; Raffaele Izzo; Marina De Marco; Valentina Trimarco; Teresa Migliore; Gerardo Carpinella; Marcello Chinali; Nicola De Luca; Bruno Trimarco
Federico University, Naples, Italy                 
                       
This study can be accessed at: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/122/21_MeetingAbstracts/A14293

This study evaluated the risk of diabetes in relation to statin therapy in patients free of diabetes at the start of the study. The study included 1,760 non-diabetic participants, (average age 52 years), who were followed for 3.5 years.

The study found by the end of the follow-up period, prevalence of new diabetes was 199% higher in patients on statins compared to those not taking statins.                    

Analysis of 72 trials shows that statins increase the risk of diabetes by 9%

This study was published in QJM 2012 Feb;105(2):145-57

Study title and authors:
Adverse events associated with individual statin treatments for cardiovascular disease: an indirect comparison meta-analysis.

Alberton M, Wu P, Druyts E, Briel M, Mills EJ.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21920996

This paper sought to identify different risk effects of statin therapy. The paper analysed seventy-two trials involving 159,458 patients.

The paper found:
(a) Statin users had a 9% increased risk of diabetes compared to non-users.
(b) Statin users had a 31% increased risk of elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels compared to non-users. (Elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase indicate damage to liver, heart, muscle, kidney and brain tissues).
(c) Statin users had a 28% increased risk of elevated alanine aminotransferase levels compared to non-users. (Elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase indicate liver damage).

The data from this analysis of 72 trials shows that statins increase the risk of diabetes by 9%.

Statin use increases the risk of type two diabetes

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 2012 Sep 13;2(5)

Study title and authors:
Do statins interfere with lifestyle intervention in the prevention of diabetes in primary healthcare? One-year follow-up of the FIN-D2D project.

Rautio N, Jokelainen J, Oksa H, Saaristo T, Peltonen M, Vanhala M, Puolijoki H, Moilanen L, Tuomilehto J, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Uusitupa M.
Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22983785

The objective of the study was to examine whether the use of statins is associated with the incidence of type two diabetes among individuals at high risk for type two diabetes participating in one-year lifestyle intervention study. The study included 2,798 non-diabetic individuals, aged 18–87 years,  who had elevated fasting glucose levels.

Lifestyle counselling was performed either in group sessions or individually. Advice was given on diet, weight control, meal frequency and quality, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use and diabetes as a disease in general. Group sessions were mainly weight maintenance or exercise groups and lectures concerning diabetes and lifestyle changes.

Fasting blood glucose levels are used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. Elevated blood glucose levels can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.

The study found:
(a) Statin users had a 17% increased risk of developing type two diabetes compared to non-statin users.
(b) Fasting glucose levels increased by 0.08 mmol/L (1.44 mg/dL) in statin users, but remained unchanged in non-users.

The data from the study reveals that statin use increases the risk of type two diabetes in individuals at high risk of type two diabetes.

Statin use is associated with accelerated artery calcification in type two diabetes

This study was published in Diabetes Care 2012 Aug 8

 

Study title and authors:

Progression of Vascular Calcification Is Increased With Statin Use in the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT).

Saremi A, Bahn G, Reaven PD; for the VADT Investigators.

Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, Arizona.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22875226

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of statin use on progression of calcification in the arteries in type two diabetes. (The higher the calcification, the higher the risk of a cardiac event). The study included 197 participants with type two diabetes.

The study found:
(a) Coronary artery calcification was significantly higher in more frequent statin users than in less frequent users.
(b) Aortic artery calcification was higher in more frequent statin users than in less frequent users.
(c) In participants initially not receiving statins, progression of both coronary artery calcification and aortic artery calcification was significantly increased in frequent statin users.

More frequent statin use is associated with accelerated artery calcification in type two diabetes.

Atorvastatin increases the death rate in diabetic patients

This study was published in Diabetes Care 2006 Jul;29(7):1478-85

Study title and authors:

Efficacy and safety of atorvastatin in the prevention of cardiovascular end points in subjects with type 2 diabetes: the Atorvastatin Study for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease Endpoints in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (ASPEN).

Knopp RH, d'Emden M, Smilde JG, Pocock SJ.

Harborview Medical Center, 325 Ninth Ave., #359720, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA. rhknopp@u.washington.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16801565.1

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of 10 mg of atorvastatin versus placebo in subjects with type 2 diabetes and low LDL cholesterol levels. The study lasted four years and included 2,410 subjects who were assigned to receive 10 mg of atorvastatin or placebo.

The study found that those who were assigned atorvastatin had a 6% increased risk of death compared to those who were assigned placebo.

The data from this study shows that atorvastatin increases the death rate in patients who have type 2 diabetes.

Links to other studies:
Statins increase the risk of diabetes by 48%
Statin therapy associated with a 9% increased risk for diabetes
Statin treatment increases cardiovascular diseases in diabetics by 31%