Phoenix, AZ: Statin use lowers the rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and hepatic artery complications (HACs) in liver transplant patients, show findings from a retrospective cohort study. Further, the therapy also improved event-free survival compared with patients with hyperlipidemia and those without hyperlipidemia.
The study results, published in the journal Liver Transplantation, suggest the possibility of improving the outcomes of liver transplants related to the use of these medications remains plausible.
VTE that included deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) is a leading cause of long-term mortality and morbidity after solid organ transplantation. Statin therapy is known to reduce the risk of VTE that in turn may impact solid organ transplant outcomes. Peter E. Frasco, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, and colleagues, therefore, aimed to evaluate the incidence of VTE and other complications after liver transplantation stratified by hyperlipidemia status and statin use using a retrospective cohort study approach.
For this purpose, the researchers reviewed all primary orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) records from January 2014 to December 2019. Intraoperative deaths were excluded. Data on the recipient, donor clinical and demographics were collected. The effect of statin use on the occurrence of VTE, hepatic artery complications (HACs), graft failure, and death were assessed while accounting for clinical covariates and competing risks.
A total of 672 OLT recipients were included in the analysis. Of this cohort, 11.9% (n = 80) received statin therapy. A total of 47 patients (7.0%) had VTE events.
The study revealed the following findings:
HACs occurred in 40 patients (6.0%).
A total of 42 (6.1%) patients experienced graft loss, whereas 9.1% (n = 61) of the cohort died during the study interval.
Eighty OLT recipients (29.8%) were treated with statins.
In the statin-treated group, 0% of patients had VTE versus 7.9% of those not on statins.
HACs were identified in 1.2% of the statin group and 6.8% of the nonstatin group.
Untreated hyperlipidemia was associated with a 2.1-fold higher risk of HACs versus patients with no hyperlipidemia status.
Statin therapy was associated with significantly better risk-adjusted thromboembolic event-free survival (absence of VTE, cerebrovascular accident, myocardial infarction, HACs, and death); hazard ratio, 2.7.
The researchers concluded, "these data indicate that statin therapy is correlated with a lower rate of VTE and HACs after liver transplantation."
Reference:
The study titled, "Statin Therapy and the Incidence of Thromboembolism and Vascular Events Following Liver Transplantation," is published in the journal Liver Transplantation.
DOI: https://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lt.26093