Stopping Statins May Be Associated with the Development of Parkinson Disease

In an observational study, patients who stopped lipophilic (but not hydrophilic) statins had an increased risk for incident PD.

Findings associating statin discontinuation with Parkinson disease (PD) risk have been inconsistent. Now, researchers in Taiwan examined the effect of discontinuing lipid-lowering, statin-based therapy on the incidence of PD. Participants were identified between 2001 and 2008 from the comprehensive National Health Insurance Research Database.

The researchers identified 43,810 statin initiators. The observed incidence of PD was different between lipophilic and hydrophilic statins (1.68 vs. 3.52 per 1,000,000 person-days). Compared with discontinuation, continuation of lipophilic, but not hydrophilic, statins was associated with a decreased risk for incident PD (hazard ratio, 0.42). After adjustment for comorbidities and medications, the resul…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)