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Meta-Analysis
. 2023 Apr 7:11:e15149.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15149. eCollection 2023.

Association between statin use and risk of gallstone disease and cholecystectomy: a meta-analysis of 590,086 patients

Yu Chang #  1 , Hong-Min Lin #  2 , Kuan-Yu Chi  3 , Wan-Ying Lin  4 , Tsung-Ching Chou  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Association between statin use and risk of gallstone disease and cholecystectomy: a meta-analysis of 590,086 patients

Yu Chang et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Background: Statins have been reported to reduce the risk of gallstone disease. However, the impacts of different durations of statin use on gallstone disease have not been clarified. The aim of this study is toperform a systematic review with meta-analysis to update and to elucidate the association between statin use and the risk of gallstone disease and cholecystectomy.

Methods: Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched from the inception until August 2022 for relevant articles investigating the difference in the risk of gallstone disease between statin users and non-users (PROSPERO, ID: CRD42020182445). Meta-analyses were conducted using odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to compare the risk of gallstone disease and cholecystectomy between statin user and nonusers.

Results: Eight studies enrolling 590,086 patients were included. Overall, the use of statins was associated with a marginally significant lower risk of gallstone disease than nonusers (OR, 0.91; 95% CI [0.82-1.00]). Further subgroup analysis showed that short-term users, medium-term users, and long-term users were associated with a significantly higher risk (OR, 1.18; 95% CI [1.11-1.25]), comparable risk (OR, 0.93; 95% CI [0.83-1.04]), and significantly lower risk of gallstone diseases (OR, 0.78; 95% CI [0.68-0.90]) respectively, compared to nonusers.

Conclusions: Patients with medium-term or long-term use of statins without discontinuation are at a lower risk of gallstone disease or cholecystectomy.

Keywords: Gallstone; Statin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram.
The PRISMA flow diagram demonstrates a total of 1007 potential references were extracted initially and meta-analysis included eight studies meeting the eligibility criteria.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Risk of gallstone disease among statin users and nonusers.
Forest plot for risk of gallstone disease among statin users versus nonusers. The size of squares is proportional to the weight of each study with the error bar showing the 95% CI. Red diamond represents the pooled estimate of OR with the 95% CI. CI, confidence interval; IV, inverse variance method; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error of logOR; TE, logOR.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Risk of gallstone disease based on different duration of statin use.
Forest plot for risk of gallstone disease among short-term, medium-term and long-term statin users compared to nonusers. Subgroup analysis was performed based on current and former users. The size of squares is proportional to the weight of each study with the error bar showing the 95% CI. Red diamond represents the pooled estimate of OR with the 95% CI. CI, confidence interval; IV, inverse variance method; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error of logOR; TE, logOR.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Risk of gallstone disease among long-term statin users (over one year).
Forest plot for risk of gallstone disease among long-term statin users versus nonusers. Subgroup analysis was performed based on current and former users. The size of squares is proportional to the weight of each study with the error bar showing the 95% CI. Red diamond represents the pooled estimate of OR with the 95% CI. CI, confidence interval; IV, inverse variance method; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error of logOR; TE, logOR.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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