Statin Therapy Reduces Growth of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of statins on the growth of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Methods We retrospectively examined AAA diameter in 211 patients who had undergone serial imaging surveillance. Results Patients treated with and without statins were similar regarding age, initial aneurysm size, diagnosis of diabetes and hypertension, and smoking history. Patients receiving statins had a decreased aneurysm growth rate compared with those patients not receiving statins (0.9 mm/y [interquartile range, −1.0 to +1.0] vs 3.2 mm/y [interquartile range, 2.0-4.9], P < 0.0001). This difference in the rate of growth was maintained after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Conclusions To date, this is the one of the largest retrospective studies demonstrating an association between statin use and decreased growth rate of AAA.