# 5465
The idea certainly isn’t new.
If fact, I mentioned it in this blog as far back as 2006, and have written about it extensively probably a dozen times since then.
While unproven, and not without controversy, over the years we’ve seen several studies suggesting that taking statins - cholesterol reducing drugs - can improve survival rates among those with influenza and/or pneumonia.
Dr. David Fedson – former Professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and formerly Director of Medical Affairs, Aventis Pasteur MSD - has long championed the idea that we should be looking at statins for pandemic flu, which he believes may help modulate the immune response.
A couple of his papers on the subject include:
Pandemic Influenza: A Potential Role for Statins in Treatment and Prophylaxis
David S. Fedsona
New Approaches to Confronting an Imminent Influenza Pandemic
Dr. Fedson and Peter Dunnill, DSc,FREng
In 2007 we saw a study that seemed to support the idea, one that indicated that statins lowered the mortality rate of people with pneumonia.
Statin drugs lower respiratory death risk: study
Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:40pm EDT
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who use statin drugs are less likely to die of influenza and chronic bronchitis, according to a study that shows yet another unexpected benefit of the cholesterol-lowering medications.
And in 2008 this encouraging report made the headlines:
Statins may cut pneumonia death, blood clot risks
27 Oct 2008 20:00:13 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Cholesterol-fighting drugs known as statins reduced the risk of dying from pneumonia or developing dangerous blood clots in the legs, adding to a growing list of benefits from the popular drugs, two research groups said on Monday.
But not all of the studies have been positive.
In July of 2009 there was a report that found no evidence of benefit among pneumonia patients (see Another Take On Statins And Pneumonia) taking statins.
But another study, presented in October of 2009 at the annual meeting of the IDSA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in Philadelphia suggested the opposite - that statins cut the mortality rate for seasonal flu by 50%.
Maryn McKenna writing for CIDRAP brought us the details.
Statins may help patients with severe seasonal flu
Maryn McKenna
Contributing Writer
Oct 29, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – Commonly available drugs that are sold in lower-cost generic versions improve the survival of patients hospitalized for seasonal influenza, researchers reported today, raising the possibility of a widely available treatment that could be used in a severe flu pandemic if other drugs are in short supply.
So while not all of these studies are in agreement, many of them have supported the notion that statins may be of considerable value during a pandemic, and may contribute to the survival rate of patients with pneumonia.
Today we’ve another study – this time by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published in the BMJ – that looks at 6 month post-pneumonia survival rates among those taking statins, and those not taking these medications.
While there may be other factors at work here – and more research is needed - survival rates were considerably higher (87% vs 80%) among those already taking statins when they fell ill.
As of this posting, the study has not appeared on the BMJ website. I assume it will shortly.
Here are excerpts from the LSHTM press release:
Pneumonia death rate lower among people who take statins
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
LSHTM study finds evidence for protective effect of cholesterol-lowering medication
Taking statins could help prevent people dying from pneumonia, according to a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The researchers found that the risk of death in the six month period after diagnosis of pneumonia was substantially lower among those who were already receiving the cholesterol-lowering drugs compared with those who were not.
Previous studies have suggested that statins may be associated with a more favourable outcome after bacterial infection.
This study, published online in the BMJ today, supports a possible protective effect of statins against mortality in patients with pneumonia.
But the researchers point out that as they looked at patients who were already taking the medication when they developed pneumonia, a randomised clinical trial is needed to determine whether starting a statin at the time of diagnosis has a similar effect.
Notes to Editors:
Title of study online at BMJ: “Effect of statin treatment on short term mortality after pneumonia episode: cohort study” by Ian Douglas, Stephen Evans and Liam Smeeth.
The $64 question is whether administering statins after a pneumonia diagnosis provides any protective benefits. There are reasons to believe that it might, but further studies are needed to prove or disprove it.
If you’d like to learn more about Dr. David Fedson and some of his ideas on statins, there are three 1-hour radio interviews available from 2009 that were conducted by Sharon Sanders of FluTrackers.
You’ll find them archived at the FluTrackers links below.
David Fedson 06 April 2009
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/aud...pril062009.mp3
David Fedson 18 May 2009http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/aud...May18.2009.mp3
David Fedson 02 November 2009
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