Are statins effective in preventing chronic rhinosinusitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the association between statin use and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Design and setting: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Participants: Patients with CRS.

Main outcome measures: Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) in analyses of studies that compared the prevalence of CRS, nasal polyp, difference of Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score, Lund-Mackay CT score and Sino-nasal Outcome Test-22.

Results: The analysis included eight studies and 445 465 patients. Patients who used statins were at lower risk for CRS than those who did not (OR = 0.7457, 95% CI = 0.6629-0.8388, p < 0.0001, I² = 0.0%). Patients with hyperlipidaemia were at higher risk for CRS than those with normal serum levels of lipid (OR = 1.3590, 95% CI = 1.2831-1.4394, p < 0.0001, I² = 33.3%). However, there were no significant differences in the risk for nasal polyps between CRS patients using statins or not (OR = 1.0931, 95% CI = 0.7860-1.5202, p = 0.5968, I² = 0.0%). Additionally, statin use was not related to Lund-Kennedy endoscopic scores, Lund-Mackay CT scores or sino-nasal outcome test-22 scores in CRS patients.

Conclusion: The risk for CRS is lower in patients who use statins and those without hyperlipidaemia.

Keywords: hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors; hyperlipidaemias; meta-analysis; odds ratio; sinusitis.