Association Between Statin Use and Progression of Arterial Stiffness Among Adults With High Atherosclerotic Risk

IMPORTANCE: Limited studies have investigated the association between statin use and progression of arterial stiffness, a key player in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between statin use and progression of arterial stiffness in Chinese adults with high atherosclerotic risk measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 5105 adults with high atherosclerotic risk from the Kailuan General Hospital from 2010 to 2020. Data were analyzed from February 2021 to April 2022. EXPOSURES: Statin use information was retrieved from electronic medical records from 2010 to 2020, and statin users were those who have been prescribed any statin medications at least 6 months before baPWV measurements. Statin users were 1:1 matched with non–statin users by propensity score method. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Progression of baPWV was assessed using the absolute difference between baseline and follow-up baPWV, divided by the follow-up time in years. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the association between statin use and arterial stiffness. RESULTS: Among 5105 adults with assessment of baPWV (mean [SD] age: 60.8 [9.7] years; 3842 [75.3%] men and 1263 [24.7%] women), 1310 statin users were matched with 1310 non–statin users (mean [SD] age, 63.2 [9.3] years). Compared with non–statin users, statin users were associated with significantly lower baPWV at baseline (difference: −33.6 cm/s; 95% CI, −62.1 to −5.1 cm/s). Among 1502 adults with repeated assessment of baPWV, 410 statin users were matched with 410 non–statin users (mean [SD] age, 62.9 [9.2] years). Compared with non–statin users, statin users had significantly slower progression of baPWV (difference, −23.3 cm/s per year; 95% CI, −40.6 to −6.0 cm/s per year) during a mean (SD) follow-up of 4.8 (2.7) years. A significantly slower progression of baPWV was observed in continuous statin users (difference, −24.2 cm/s per year; 95% CI, −42.2 to −6.3 cm/s per year) and high adherent users (difference, −39.7 cm/s per year; 95% CI, −66.9 to −12.4 cm/s per year), but not in discontinued users (difference, −17.3 cm/s per year; 95% CI, −52.4 to 17.8 cm/s per year) and low adherent users (difference, −17.9 cm/s per year; 95% CI, −36.5 to 0.7 cm/s per year), compared with non–statin users. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, statin use was associated with slower progression of arterial stiffness in Chinese adults with high atherosclerotic risk.