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Medscape – Statin Use Increases Odds of Back Disorder: Cohort Study

Reading up on back pain like a good chiropractor this weekend I saw an article on Medscape which greatly attracted my interest — Medscape – Statin Use Increases Odds of Back Disorder: Cohort Study.

While rare, we do see occasionally increased musculoskeletal issues (aches, pains, and strains) related to the use of statin drugs which help to control cholesterol.  The most important thing to remember here is YOU CAN NOT SIMPLY STOP TAKING YOUR STATINS JUST BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE IT OR THINK YOU SHOULD!  PLEASE SEE THE NEXT LINE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE STUDY!

“Further prospective studies are needed to better understand the mechanism of how statins can contribute to back disorder diagnoses,” said Makris.

“We are not advocating for taking patients off statins if they have cardiovascular risk factors. As clinicians we should be aware of these potential associations and understand the spectrum of potential adverse effects.”

Link to Medscape Article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/879387

Can Statins Cause Back Pain?

Two previous studies based on NHANES data reported that statin use was associated with musculoskeletal pain including back pain among individuals without arthritis[2,3].

Severe back pain is both debilitating and costly. In 2005, it was estimated that back pain cost the healthcare system more than $100 billion, Makris noted.

The researchers retrieved data from 60,455 individuals who were at least 30 years old, lived in the San Antonio area, and were enrolled in the TRICARE health insurance system from 2003 to 2012. Of these, 17% were active military personnel and the rest were family members and veterans.

About one in six individuals (10,910) had been prescribed a statin, usually simvastatin (in 72% of prescriptions), and on average, they had been taking this drug for 3.7 years.

The researchers matched 6728 statin users with an equal number of statin nonusers. They had a mean age of 52 and 47% were women. A quarter were overweight or obese; 53% had hypertension; 20% had diabetes; and 40% had osteoarthritis.

Close to a third (30%) had a back disorder.

In the propensity-matched cohort, being prescribed a statin (as opposed to not being prescribed this drug) significantly raised the odds of having a back disorder (odds ratio 1.27; 95% CI 1.19–1.36).

In the overall cohort and in prespecified subgroups (such as nonobese individuals, healthy individuals, or those without musculoskeletal conditions at baseline, statin use was consistently associated with increased odds of being diagnosed with a back disorder.

In an analysis of the overall cohort, but with adjustment for propensity scores, the risk increase for a back disorder went from 30% among statin users to 47% among those taking high-intensity statins. It also increased with duration to as high as 59% with >4 years of use.

Link to Medscape Article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/879387

Struggling with back pain, hip pain or something similar, give us a call at 856.228.3100 to see if we can help!