Statins and influenza mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Due to their anti-inflammatory properties, it has been suggested that the use of statins could influence the evolution of influenza virus infection. Aim: To evaluate the effect of statin therapy on mortality from influenza. Methods: A meta-analysis that included studies evaluating the use of statins in patients with influenza and reporting data on mortality, after searching the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Controlled Trials databases, was performed. A random effects model was applied. The risk of bias was analyzed and a sensitivity analysis was performed. Results: Eight studies (10 independent cohorts), which included a total of 2,390,730 patients, were identified and eligible for analysis. A total of 1,146,995 subjects analyzed received statins, while 1,243,735 subjects were part of the control group. Statin therapy was associated with lower mortality (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.51-0.85). The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust. Conclusions: Our data suggest that, in a population with influenza, the use of statins was associated with a significant reduction in mortality. These results must be confirmed in future clinical trials.