Stanin May Cut Risk of Pancreas Inflammation

Statins are used by a million of people to cut down the cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme that controls the production of cholesterol in the liver. Now, a study being published in the August 22/29 issue of JAMA claims that statin therapy may reduce the risk of pancreatitis in patients with normal or mildly elevated triglyceride level. 

High levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the bloodstream, are known to trigger pancreatitis. However, pancreatitis was 21 percent lower among people taking statins.

Even drugs called fibrates are prescribed to control triglycerides. Studies have shown that fibrates may lead to gallstones, which could increase the risk of pancreatitis. The condition is usually mild with symptoms such as abdominal discomfort and nausea.

The study conducted by the researcher David Preiss, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, and colleagues found correlation between use of statin or fibrate and the occurrence of pancreatitis.

For the study the researchers collected meta-analyses of published and unpublished data from large randomized clinical trials. They found that 16 placebo- and standard care-controlled statin trials with 113,800 participants conducted over 4.1 years, 309 participants that is appropriately 0.27 percent developed pancreatitis.

According to the release, In 5 dose-comparison statin trials that included a total of 39,614 participants conducted over 4.8 years, 156 participants nearly around 0.39 percent of them developed pancreatitis.

"The analysis raises questions regarding the choice" of which drugs to use in treating patients with high triglycerides. "In those with slightly elevated triglyceride levels, statins appear better supported by the available data than fibrates for preventing pancreatitis," the research noted.

"Lifestyle modifications also remain important to improve lipid profiles in such individuals. In patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, a trial comparing fibrates and statins for preventing pancreatitis would be clinically valuable," the study said.