Statins adversely affect asthma

This study was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 2009 Dec;103(6):463-8

Study title and authors:
The effect of statin therapy on allergic patients with asthma.

Ostroukhova M, Kouides RW, Friedman E.
Department of Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, New York, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20084838

The objective of the study was to ascertain whether statin use adversely affects asthma. The study included 24 patients who were on statin therapy and 26 controls, not on statin therapy.

The study found after six months:
(a) There was a significant 3% worsening of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (a worsening of lung function) for the statin group compared with the controls.
(b) 40% more patients in the statin group needed increased asthma medication compared with the controls.
(c) 63% more patients in the statin group used albuterol more frequently compared with the controls. (Albuterol is used to prevent and treat wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest tightness caused by lung diseases).
(d) 33% more patients in the statin group had more nocturnal awakenings compared with the controls.
(e) 34% more patients in the statin group had to see the doctor more frequently for acute asthma.

This study demonstrates that statin use adversely affects asthma.