Effectiveness of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on inflammation and metabolic markers in the US-Mexico border Hispanic population

Abstract

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are commonly used to manage dyslipidemia to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an emerging systematic low-grade inflammatory marker associated with atherosclerotic CVD development. Despite racial/ethnic disparities in the use and response of statins and the anti-inflammatory effects of statins, the effectiveness of statins on inflammation and metabolic markers is unknown among Hispanics. We performed a retrospective cohort study using 150 adult patients scheduled for an annual physical examination at a family medicine clinic between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Effect size with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated using adjusted regression analyses. Among 150 patients, 52 (34.7%) patients received statins. Patients who received statins had significantly reduced median hs-CRP (1.9 vs 3.2, p = 0.007), mean low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C; 101.2 vs 124.6, p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (172.6 vs 194.5, p < 0.001) concentrations compared to those who did not receive statins. In the propensity-scores matched analysis, lower concentrations of log-transformed hs-CRP (regression coefficient (RC), −0.48; 95% CI: −0.89, −0.07), LDL-C (RC, −19.57; 95% CI: −33.04, −6.10), and total cholesterol (RC, −23.47; 95% CI: −38.96, −7.98) were associated with statin use. In addition, hepatic steatosis (adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.78, p = 0.017) was significantly lower among patients with the use of statins. Our study suggests that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors may help reduce inflammation among Hispanic patients with dyslipidemia and hypertension. These findings have useful implications for preventing risk and disparities associated with cardiovascular and other inflammatory-induced diseases among the fastest-growing US Hispanic minorities.