Initiation of statin therapy in patients with
diabetes mellitus: a target trial emulation study
(abridged secondary publication)
EYF Wan1,2,3, W Xu1, AHY Mok1, WY Chin1, EYT Yu1, CSL Chui3,4,5 , EWY Chan2,3, ICK Wong2,3,6, CLK Lam1, G Danaei7,8
1 Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of
Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of
Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
3 Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science
and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
4 School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of
Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
5 School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
6 Research Department of Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy,
University College London, London, United Kingdom
7 Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School
of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
8 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Initiation of statins in diabetic patients with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of 1.8 to 2.5 mmol/L was associated with reduced risks of incident cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality, without significant increases in the risks of myopathy or liver dysfunction.
- Compared with initiation of statin therapy at a threshold of 2.6 mmol/L, initiation at a threshold of 1.8 mmol/L may provide additional benefits in preventing cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality among patients with diabetes.