Evaluation of rosuvastatin-induced QT prolongation risk using real-world data, in vitro cardiomyocyte studies, and mortality assessment

Drug-induced QT prolongation is attributed to several mechanisms, including hERG channel blockage. However, the risks, mechanisms, and the effects of rosuvastatin-induced QT prolongation remain unclear. Therefore, this study assessed the risk of rosuvastatin-induced QT prolongation using (1) real-world data with two different settings, namely case–control and retrospective cohort study designs; (2) laboratory experiments using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM); (3) nationwide claim data for mortality risk evaluation. Real-world data showed an association between QT prolongation and the use of rosuvastatin (OR [95% CI], 1.30 [1.21–1.39]) but not for atorvastatin (OR [95% CI], 0.98 [0.89–1.07]). Rosuvastatin also affected the sodium and calcium channel activities of cardiomyocytes in vitro. However, rosuvastatin exposure was not associated with a high risk of all-cause mortality (HR [95% CI], 0.95 [0.89–1.01]). Overall, these results suggest that rosuvastatin use increased the risk of QT prolongation in real-world settings, significantly affecting the action potential of hiPSC-CMs in laboratory settings. Long-term rosuvastatin treatment was not associated with mortality. In conclusion, while our study links rosuvastatin use to potential QT prolongation and possible influence on the action potential of hiPSC-CMs, long-term use does not show increased mortality, necessitating further research for conclusive real-world applications.