• Primal P Singh, Sanket Srinivasa, Sanka Bambarawana, Daniel P Lemanu, Arman A Kahokehr, Kamran Zargar-Shoshtari, and Andrew G Hill.
• Department of Surgery, South Auckland Clinical School, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. dr.parrysingh@gmail.com
• Dis. Colon Rectum. 2012 Feb 1;55(2):205-10.

BackgroundStatins have many beneficial effects and may attenuate the proinflammatory and metabolic stress response to surgery and consequently reduce postoperative morbidity.ObjectiveThis study investigated whether perioperative use of statins improved short-term outcomes after elective colectomy.DesignThis study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data.Settings And PatientsThis study was conducted in consecutive patients undergoing elective colonic resection within an enhanced recovery program at a tertiary hospital (Manukau Surgery Centre, Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand) from January 2005 to December 2010.Main Outcome MeasuresComplications, hospital stay, and readmissions were recorded for 30 days postoperatively. Postoperative functional recovery was measured by the use of the validated Surgical Recovery Score. Serum proinflammatory cytokines were measured on postoperative day 1.ResultsThere were 269 patients; 86 patients were on a statin perioperatively, whereas 183 patients had no statin. Members of the statin group were older (median age, 72 vs 69 years; p = 0.021), included more men (53% vs 40%; p = 0.049), and included a higher number of patients with an ASA score of 3 (55% vs 22%; p < 0.001). Patients on statin therapy had a significantly lower number of anastomotic leaks (1% vs 7%; p = 0.031). However, there was no significant difference in total complications or median hospital stay. The 2 groups had comparable functional recovery, and there was no significant difference in serum cytokine levels.LimitationsThis retrospective study did not analyze type, duration, or dose of statins given perioperatively.ConclusionPatients on perioperative statins had greater baseline perioperative risks compared with nonusers, but they achieved equivalent outcomes overall. Statin use was associated with reduced anastomotic leaks. Thus, perioperative statin use may reduce morbidity after elective colectomy, and this finding warrants further investigation.

25 keywords...

hide…