Research: Mixing statins with Interferons do not add up

Bhardwaj S, Coleman CI, Sobieraj DM.Efficacy of statins in combination with interferon therapy in multiple sclerosis: A meta-analysis. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2012;69:1494-9.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of statins in combination with interferon therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is reviewed. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted through September 2011 to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of combination statin-interferon therapy compared with interferon therapy alone in patients with MS. Trials had to report at least one of the following outcomes of interest: clinical relapse rate, disease progression, or Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score. 
RESULTS: Four unique trials were included in the analysis (n = 463 subjects; range of follow-up, 9-24 months). All trials evaluated patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Most trials enrolled patients taking interferon beta therapy either twice or three times weekly. The mean baseline EDSS scores ranged from 1.2 to 3.4. Evaluated statins included simvastatin and atorvastatin. No significant difference was found between the statin and control groups in the incident rate ratio for clinical relapse (0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17 to 3.11), risk of relapse (relative risk [RR], 0.99; 95% CI, 0.53 to 1.85], disease progression (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.73 to 2.36), or difference in the change in the EDSS score from baseline (weighted mean difference, -0.06; 95% CI, -0.30 to 0.19). 
CONCLUSION A meta-analysis revealed that the addition of statins to interferon therapy did not significantly influence the relapse risk, disease progression, or EDSS scores in patients with RRMS.

The conclusions say it all. There is no good evidence that statins really make an influence on RRMS by themselves and appear to add nothing when used as an add-on to beta interferon.

Labels: ,