Effects of statins on clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of chronic use of statins based on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study over 12 months at a teaching hospital in Lebanon comparing patients with CAP taking chronic statins with patients not taking statins. Included patients with CAP were older than age 18 years and had two CRP level measures during hospitalization. CURB-65 criteria were used to assess the severity of pneumonia. A decrease in CRP levels on days 1 and 3, LOS, and normalization of fever were used to assess the response to antibiotics. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were taking statins and 90 patients were not taking statins. Patients on statins had significantly more comorbid conditions; both groups had comparable CURB-65 scores. In both groups, no statistically significant difference was seen for the decrease in CRP level on days 1 and 3 and LOS. No difference in days to normalization of fever was detected in either group. CONCLUSION: No association was found between the chronic use of statins and CRP levels, LOS, or days to fever normalization in patients with CAP.