Effect of statin use on cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis involving 148,722 participants

Targeting the CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathway: potential implications of statins beyond cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND

The chemokine ligand CCL2 and its cognate receptor CCR2 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases. Hence, the inhibition of the CCL2/CCR2 signaling pathway has been of great attention in recent studies. Among suggested medications, statins known as HMG-COA reductase inhibitors with their pleiotropic effects are widely under investigation.

METHOD

A comprehensive literature search on Scopus and PubMed databases was conducted using the keywords 'CCL2', 'CCR2', 'monocyte chemoattractant protein-1', 'HMG-COA reductase inhibitor', and 'statin'. Both experimental and clinical studies measuring CCL2/CCR2 expressions following statin therapy were identified excluding the ones focused on cardiovascular diseases.

RESULTS

Herein, we summarized the effects of statins on CCL2 and CCR2 expression in various pathologic conditions including immune-mediated diseases, nephropathies, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, neuroinflammation, inflammatory bowel diseases, gynecologic diseases, and cancers.

CONCLUSION

For the most part, statins play an inhibitory role on the CCL2-CCR2 axis which implies their potential to be further developed as therapeutic options in non-cardiovascular diseases either alone or in combination with other conventional treatments. However, the existing literature mostly focused on experimental models and is therefore inadequate to reach a conclusion.

Cardiovascular Disease in Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasm Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare, multisystem, autoimmune disease characterised by microvascular inflammation. Over the past 20 years, advances in immunological management have improved short-term patient outcomes. Longer-term patient outcomes remain poor with cardiovascular disease now the leading cause of death in AAV. Here, we examine the potential pathways that contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in AAV and the current evidence to manage this risk.

RECENT FINDINGS

The incidence of cardiovascular disease in AAV exceeds that expected by traditional risk factors alone, suggesting a contribution from disease-specific factors. Similarly, it is unclear how different immunosuppressive therapies contribute to and modify cardiovascular risk, and there is a paucity of data examining the efficacy of traditional cardioprotective medications in AAV. There is a lack of evidence-based cardiovascular risk assessment tools and cardioprotective therapies in patients with AAV which should be addressed to improve long-term outcomes.

Statins and psoriasis: Position statement by the Psoriasis Task Force of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is associated with an increased mortality risk, with cardiovascular disease being the leading excess cause (in a dose-response manner with psoriasis severity). Statins have demonstrated a reduction in all-cause mortality with no excess of adverse events among the general population. The underuse of interventions in cardiovascular prevention, such as statins, for patients with psoriasis may be the result of an insufficient evaluation.

OBJECTIVES

To provide the dermatologist with a tool for systematizing the treatment of dyslipidemia in psoriasis, which generally escapes the scope of dermatological practice, and to facilitate decision-making about the referral and treatment of patients.

METHODS

The Psoriasis Task Force of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology performed this two-phase study to achieve a consensus and create recommendations on the use of statin therapy in patients with psoriasis. The first phase included a systematic review to identify a list of outline concepts and recommendations according to guidelines. The second phase consisted in a two-round Delphi study to evaluate those recommendations not literally taken from guidelines.

RESULTS

A list of 47 concepts and recommendations to be followed by dermatologists involved in the treatment of patients with moderate-severe psoriasis was created. It included six main concepts about cardiovascular risk and psoriasis, six items related with the role of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and the benefits of statin treatment in psoriasis patients, eight recommendations about how cardiovascular risk should be assessed, three on the role of non-invasive cardiovascular imaging, three on LDL-c thresholds, eight key points related to statin prescription, 10 on statin treatment follow-up and three on patient referral to another specialist.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of this position statement (close final list of concepts and recommendations) will help dermatologists to manage dyslipidemia and help psoriasis patients to reduce their cardiovascular risk.

Influence of Statin Therapy on the Incidence of Cardiovascular Events, Cancer, and All-Cause Mortality in People Living With HIV: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Possible influences of statin therapy on the risk of cardiovascular events, cancer, and all-cause mortality in people living with HIV (PLWH) remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the efficacy of statin in PLWH.

Methods: Relevant cohort studies were retrieved via a search of the Medline, the Embase, and the Web of Science databases until June 14, 2021. The data were combined with a random-effects model by incorporating the between-study heterogeneity.

Results: A total of 12 multivariate cohort studies with 162,252 participants were eligible for the meta-analysis and 36,253 (22.3%) of them were statin users. Pooled results showed that statin use was independently related to a reduced mortality risk in PLWH [adjusted risk ratio (RR): 0.56, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.72, p < 0.001, I² = 41%]. In addition, results of the meta-analysis showed that statin use was not significantly associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events in PLWH compared to the statin non-users (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.63, p = 0.48, I² = 42%). However, statin use was significantly related to a reduced risk of cancer in PLWH (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.93, p = 0.009, I² = 49%). Sensitivity analyses by excluding one study at a time showed consistent results. No significant publication biases were observed.

Conclusion: Statin use is associated with reduced all-cause mortality in PLWH. In addition, statin use is related to a reduced risk of cancer, although the risk of cardiovascular events seems not significantly affected.

New tendencies in non-surgical periodontal therapy

The aim of this review was to update the evidence of new approaches to non-surgical therapy (NSPT) in the treatment of periodontitis. Preclinical and clinical studies addressing the benefits of adjunctive antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, probiotics, prebiotics/synbiotics, statins, pro-resolving mediators, omega-6 and -3, ozone, and epigenetic therapy were scrutinized and discussed. Currently, the outcomes of these nine new approaches, when compared with subgingival debridement alone, did not demonstrate a significant added clinical benefit. However, some of these new alternative interventions may have the potential to improve the outcomes of NSPT alone. Future evidence based on randomized controlled clinical trials would help clinicians and patients in the selection of different adjunctive therapies.

Sustainable preparation of anti-inflammatory atorvastatin PLGA nanoparticles

In the present study, the anti-inflammatory lipophilic drug atorvastatin was encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) using a sustainable method in comparison to the standard emulsion-diffusion-evaporation technique. For the sustainable method the organic solvent ethyl acetate was fully replaced by 400 g/mol poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 400). Both techniques led to the formation of nanoparticles with comparable sizes of about 170 to 247 nm depending on the polymer type, with monomodal size distribution and negative zeta potential. All nanoparticles demonstrated a high biocompatibility in a shell-less hen's egg model and displayed an anti-inflammatory effect in human monocytes. The use of PEG 400 resulted in plasticizing effects and a lower crystallinity of the PLGA nanoparticles as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy, which correlated with a faster drug release. Interestingly, the particles prepared by the sustainable method showed a crystallinity and drug release kinetics similar to nanoparticles made of PEG-PLGA using the standard method. Conclusively, the sustainable method is a fast and easy to perform technique suitable to prepare atorvastatin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles avoiding toxic and environmentally damaging drawbacks frequently associated with classical organic solvents.