Osteoporos Int

Statins linked to lower osteoporotic fracture risk among adults 60 and older

September 26, 2023

In this large Korean cohort study, statin use was associated with significant reduction in the risk of osteoporotic fractures in adults 60 and older.

• A total of 365,656 older persons without previous history of osteoporosis and who were started on a statin since January 1, 2004 were included and observed until December 31, 2012. 
• During 6.27 years of follow-up, 54,959 osteoporotic fractures occurred; the majority of fractures (69.5%) were vertebral fractures.
• Compared with non-users, statin use was associated with a decreased risk of all outcomes with adjusted HR (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.72-0.83; P < 0.001) for major osteoporotic fractures, 0.49 (0.38-0.62; P < 0.001) for hip fractures, and 0.70 (0.64-0.77; P < 0.001) for vertebral fractures. 
• Patients who initiated statins at age 80 or older had the highest risk reduction for most outcomes relative to non-users.
• Higher cumulative dose of statin was inversely associated with osteoporotic fracture risk: 0.97 (0.91-1.02) for 30-364 cumulative daily defined dose (cDDD), 0.45 (0.40-0.51) for 365-1,094 cDDD, and 0.22 (0.15-0.33) for ≥ 1,095 cDDD.

Seo, DH, et al. Osteoporos Int. (2023, August 8). Age- and dose-dependent effect of statin use on the risk of osteoporotic fracture in older adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37552294/