TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of statin therapy in patients with lung cancer on mortality, incidence of infections and pulmonary embolism JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P4200 AU - Stefan Krüger AU - Annika Vehl AU - Angelika Haselhuhn AU - Dirk Frechen Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4200.abstract N2 - Background: Statins (S) have antiproliferative effects. Aim of this study was to assess whether S users with lung cancer (LC) had reduced risk of mortality, infections and pulmonary embolism.Methods: We studied the association of S use in a retrospective study in 465 pts with first diagnosis of LC. The primary variables were stage and type of LC and S use at time of LC diagnosis and thereafter. During follow-up occurrence of death, infections and pulmonary embolism were recorded.Results: 91 pts (19.6%) had S, 371 pts not. LC stages were I-IIIA 201 pts (43.2%), IIIb-IV 264 pts (56.8%). Pts with S were older (67.8 ± 7.6 vs. 64.5 ± 9.8 y., p < 0.005), had higher BMI, more often diabetes, myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. Charlson comorbidity index was not different (5.2 ± 2.2 vs. 5.7 ± 2.4, p = 0.08). During follow-up 43% of the pts died. In Kaplan Meier analysis stage I-IIIA pts with S had lower survival compared with pts without S (log rank test, p<0.0001). However there was no significant difference in pts stage IIIb-IV. In pts < 65 y. survival was longer in pts with vs. without S (1002 (95%CI 588-3977) vs. 604 (95%CI 513-806) days, p<0.05). In pts ≥ 65 y. there was no difference in survival (493 (95%CI 308-776) vs. 693 (95%CI 555-917) days, p=n.s.). Incidence of severe infections and pulmonary embolism were not different in pts with and without S.Conclusions: Long-term S therapy seems to reduce mortality in younger LC pts < 65 y., but not in pts ≥ 65 y. In stage I-IIIA pts S are associated with worse survival, whereas there is no difference in stage IIIb-IV pts. S do not reduce the incidence of severe infections and pulmonary embolism at follow-up. ER -