The Effects of Statins on Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Fibrosis in Covid-19 Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Longitudinal Multicenter Study Publisher Pubmed



Sadeghdoust M¹ ; Aligolighasemabadi F¹ ; Dehesh T² ; Taefehshokr N³ ; Sadeghdoust A⁴ ; Kotfis K⁵ ; Hashemiattar A⁶ ; Ravandi A⁷ ; Aligolighasemabadi N⁸ ; Vakili O⁹ ; Grabarek B^{10, 11, 12} ; Staszkiewicz R^{10, 13} ; Los MJ^{14, 15} ; Mokarram P¹⁵ Show All Authors
Source: Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis Published:2023

Abstract

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to explore the effect of statins on long-term respiratory symptoms and pulmonary fibrosis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Patients were recruited from three tertiary hospitals, categorized into Statin or Non-statin groups, and assessed on days 0, 28, and 90 after symptoms onset to record the duration of symptoms. Pulmonary fibrosis was scored at baseline and follow-up time points by high-resolution computed tomography scans. Each group comprised 176 patients after propensity score matching. Data analysis revealed that the odds of having cough and dyspnea were significantly higher in the Non-statin group compared to the Statin group during the follow-up period. Overall, there was no significant difference in the change in pulmonary fibrosis score between groups. However, Non-statin patients with > 5 years of DM were more likely to exhibit a significantly higher fibrosis score during the follow-up period as compared to their peers in the Statin group. Our results suggest that the use of statins is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic cough and dyspnea in diabetic patients with COVID-19, and may reduce pulmonary fibrosis associated with COVID-19 in patients with long-term (> 5 years) DM. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2023, The Author(s).