Efficacy of Statins in Cerebral Vasospasm, Mortality, and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is an acute cerebrovascular disease with frequent cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). The use of statins for patients with aSAH is controversial. The present study evaluated the efficacy of statins in aSAH-induced vasospasm, DCI, delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND), mortality, and other outcomes. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. English reports of patients with aSAH who had been treated with statins without combination were included. The outcomes, including cerebral vasospasm, DIND, DCI, mortality, disability, and creatine kinase/alanine aminotransferase/aspartic transaminase elevation, were extracted for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies, with 776 versus 821 patients treated with statins versus placebo, were retained for the statistical meta-analysis. The results showed that statin administration significantly reduced the frequency of vasospasm (relative risk [RR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.91; P = 0.003), DIND (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.91; P = 0.003), vasospasm-DCI (RR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32-0.74; P = 0.0008), and mortality (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54-0.98; P = 0.03). Statins showed insignificant efficacy in the prevention of disability (RR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.71-1.20), a neurological poor prognosis (RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.45-1.27), and creatine kinase/alanine aminotransferase/aspartic transaminase elevation (RR, 1.90; 95% CI, 0.55-6.50). CONCLUSIONS: Statins significantly reduced the incidence of vasospasm, DIND, DCI, and mortality in individuals with aSAH, suggesting its efficacy in aSAH.