# Does the use of statins alter the risk of rheumatoid arthritis? A systematic review and meta-analysis

## TL;DR

This study finds no evidence that statin use affects the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

## Contribution

The paper provides a systematic review and meta-analysis showing no association between statin use and rheumatoid arthritis risk.

## Key findings

- The pooled odds ratio for RA risk with statin use was 0.93 (95% CI 0.82, 1.06), indicating no significant association.
- High heterogeneity (I2 = 75%) was observed across studies.
- Results were consistent across study types, including case-control, cohort, and RCT analyses.

## Abstract

Statins have anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects which could alter the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We reviewed published literature and conducted a meta-analysis to examine if statins have an impact on the risk of RA.

Case-control studies, cohort studies, or randomized controlled trials (RCT) published on the PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE databases up to 30th October 2023 were searched. The association between statin use and risk of RA was pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis.

Nine studies (four cohort, four case-control, and one RCT) were included. Overall, the analysis failed to note an association between the use of statins and the risk of RA with the pooled OR being 0.93 (95% CI 0.82, 1.06). High heterogeneity was noted with I2 = 75%. Results were consistent across study types with no association noted between prior statin use and risk of RA in case-control studies (OR: 0.88 95% CI: 0.69, 1.13), cohort studies (OR: 1.01 95% CI: 0.92, 1.10), and the lone RCT (OR: 1.40 95% CI: 0.50, 3.92).

Current literature shows that there is no association between the use of statins and the risk of RA. Further rigorous studies taking into account patient factors, duration of statin exposure, and other confounders are needed to generate better evidence.