Data from: Statin use and cognitive function: population-based observational study with long-term follow-up

We aimed to evaluate the association between statin use and cognitive function. Cognitive function was measured with the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT; worst score, 0; best score, 175 points) and the Visual Association Test (VAT; low performance, 0–10; high performance, 11–12 points) in an observational study that included 4,095 community-dwelling participants aged 35–82 years. Data on statin use were obtained from a computerized pharmacy database. Analysis were done for the total cohort and subsamples matched on cardiovascular risk (N = 1232) or propensity score for statin use (N = 3609). We found that a total of 904 participants (10%) used a statin. Statin users were older than non-users: mean age (SD) 61 (10) vs. 52 (11) years (p<0.001). The median duration of statin use was 3.8 (interquartile range, 1.6–4.5) years. Unadjusted, statin users had worse cognitive performance than non-users. The mean RFFT score (SD) in statin users and non-users was 58 (23) and 72 (26) points, respectively (p<0.001). VAT performance was high in 261 (29%) statin users and 1351 (43%) non-users (p<0.001). However, multiple regression analysis did not show a significant association of RFFT score with statin use (B, −0.82; 95%CI, −2.77 to 1.14; p = 0.41) nor with statin solubility, statin dose or duration of statin use. Statin users with high doses or long-term use had similar cognitive performance as non-users. This was found in persons with low as well as high cardiovascular risk, and in younger as well as older subjects. Also, the mean RFFT score per quintile of propensity score for statin use was comparable for statin users and non-users. Similar results were found for the VAT score as outcome measure. In conclusion, statin use was not associated with cognitive function. This was independent of statin dose or duration of statin use.

本研究旨在评估他汀类药物（statin）使用与认知功能之间的关联。本项纳入4095名年龄35~82岁社区常住居民的观察性研究中，采用拉夫图形流畅性测试（Ruff Figural Fluency Test, RFFT；最低得分0分，最高得分175分）与视觉联想测试（Visual Association Test, VAT；表现不佳者得分0~10分、表现优异者得分11~12分）评估受试者认知功能；他汀类药物使用数据取自计算机化药房数据库，研究针对全部队列以及按心血管风险匹配（N=1232）或按他汀类药物使用倾向评分匹配（N=3609）的亚组开展分析。本研究共纳入904名（10%）他汀类药物使用者，他汀类药物使用者的平均年龄高于非使用者：二者平均年龄（标准差）分别为61（10）岁与52（11）岁（p<0.001），他汀类药物使用的中位时长为3.8年（四分位间距1.6~4.5年）。未校正分析显示，他汀类药物使用者的认知表现差于非使用者：他汀类药物使用者与非使用者的RFFT平均得分（标准差）分别为58（23）分与72（26）分（p<0.001），且261名（29%）他汀类药物使用者与1351名（43%）非使用者的VAT表现优异（p<0.001）。然而，多元回归分析显示，RFFT得分与他汀类药物使用（回归系数B=-0.82；95%置信区间-2.77~1.14；p=0.41）、他汀脂溶性、他汀剂量或他汀类药物使用时长均无显著关联；高剂量或长期使用他汀类药物的受试者，其认知表现与非使用者相似，该结果在心血管风险低危与高危人群、年轻与年长受试者中均一致。此外，按他汀类药物使用倾向评分五分位数分组后，他汀类药物使用者与非使用者的平均RFFT得分仍无显著差异，以VAT得分为结局指标时也得到了相似的结果。综上，他汀类药物使用与认知功能无显著关联，且该结果不受他汀剂量或他汀类药物使用时长的影响。