Statins slow lung function decline in smokers

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking a "statin" drug to keep cholesterol levels down may have another benefit for smokers and former smokers: the drugs apparently slow the annual decline in respiratory function.

While statins are best known for their cholesterol-lowering properties, they are also thought to have anti-inflammatory effects, note Dr. Jean I. Keddissi and colleagues in the medical journal Chest. This may be beneficial for chronic pulmonary disease, which is common among smokers.

To investigate, the researchers, from the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City, assessed lung function changes in 418 current or former smokers, including 215 who were taking a statin. Statins include drugs such as Pravachol or Crestor, for example.

All of the participants had abnormal spirometry results at the beginning of the study, and they had at least two pulmonary function tests performed 6 months apart.

As noted, the annual decline in pulmonary performance was significantly lower for those taking a statin compared with those not on a statin. This difference was apparent regardless of the type of lung disease and whether the patient was a current or former smoker.

"Our study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that statins may have a beneficial effect in inflammatory lung diseases," Keddissi's team concludes. Trials designed specifically to assessing the effect of this group of medications in lung diseases, they add, "are not only justified but also urgently needed."

SOURCE: Chest, December 2007.