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Impact of Statin Therapy on Plasma Uric Acid Concentrations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to ascertain the effect size of statins in modulating plasma uric acid concentrations.

Data Sources

A search was undertaken of the MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar electronic databases.

Study Selection

Studies meeting the following criteria were included: (i) randomized controlled trials with either a parallel or crossover design; (ii) investigated the impact of statin therapy on plasma uric acid concentrations; and (iii) presentation of sufficient information on uric acid values at baseline and at the end of follow-up in each group, or presenting the net change.

Data Synthesis

The present meta-analysis suggested a significant reduction in plasma uric acid levels following statin therapy; however, this does not seem to be a class effect as subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction with atorvastatin and simvastatin only, and not with pravastatin and rosuvastatin.

Conclusions

Atorvastatin and simvastatin, but not the other statins, can reduce serum uric acid levels.

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Acknowledgments

No writing assistance was utilized in the preparation of this manuscript.

Author contributions

Design: Amirhossein Sahekbar. Conduct/data collection: All authors. Analysis: Amirhossein Sahekbar. Writing manuscript: All authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Giuseppe Derosa & Pamela Maffioli

  2. Center for the Study of Endocrine-Metabolic Pathophysiology and Clinical Research, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Giuseppe Derosa

  3. Molecular Medicine Laboratory, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Giuseppe Derosa

  4. PhD School in Experimental Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Pamela Maffioli

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Željko Reiner

  6. Biomedical Research Unit, Mexican Social Security Institute, Durango, Mexico

    Luis E. Simental-Mendía

  7. Department of Medical Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 91779-48564, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

Authors
  1. Giuseppe Derosa
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  2. Pamela Maffioli
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  4. Luis E. Simental-Mendía
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  5. Amirhossein Sahebkar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Derosa.

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Funding

No external funding was used to conduct this work.

Conflict of interest

Giuseppe Derosa, Pamela Maffioli, Željko Reiner, Luis E. Simental-Mendía, and Amirhossein Sahebkar have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in, or financial conflict with, the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript, including employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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Derosa, G., Maffioli, P., Reiner, Ž. et al. Impact of Statin Therapy on Plasma Uric Acid Concentrations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drugs 76, 947–956 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-016-0591-2

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