Statin use is associated with a decreased risk of Barrett's esophagus

Gastroenterology. 2014 Aug;147(2):314-23. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.04.040. Epub 2014 May 2.

Abstract

Background & aims: Statins have been associated with a reduced risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, but little is known about their effect on development of Barrett's esophagus. We evaluated the association between statins and risk of Barrett's esophagus.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study among eligible patients scheduled for elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy and patients eligible for screening colonoscopy, recruited from primary care clinics at a Veterans Affairs center. We compared 303 patients with Barrett's esophagus with 2 separate sex-matched control groups: 606 elective endoscopy controls and 303 primary care controls without Barrett's esophagus. Use of statins and other lipid-lowering medications was ascertained by reviewing filled prescriptions in electronic pharmacy records during a 10-year period before the Barrett's esophagus diagnosis date for patients and study endoscopy date for controls. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using conditional multivariable logistic-regression models among 276 patients and 828 controls further matched on age.

Results: A smaller proportion of Barrett's esophagus patients filled statin prescriptions (57.4%) than endoscopy controls (64.9%; P = .029) or primary care controls (71.3%; P < .001). Controls had longer durations of statin prescriptions filled than patients (28.6 vs 22.1 months; P = .001). Statin use was associated with a significantly lower risk of Barrett's esophagus (adjusted OR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.38-0.87) compared with the combined control groups. The risk of Barrett's esophagus was especially lower with statin use among obese patients (OR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.09-0.71), as was the risk for Barrett's esophagus segments ≥ 3 cm (OR = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.06-0.30). We found no significant association between Barrett's esophagus and nonstatin lipid-lowering medications (P = .452).

Conclusions: In a case-control study of veterans, statin use was associated with a reduced risk of Barrett's esophagus. The greatest level of risk reduction was observed for obese patients and for long-segment Barrett's esophagus.

Keywords: Epidemiology; HMG-CoA Reductase; Obesity; Pharmacoepidemiology; Risk Factors; Simvastatin; Veterans Affairs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Barrett Esophagus / etiology
  • Barrett Esophagus / pathology
  • Barrett Esophagus / prevention & control*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Drug Prescriptions
  • Dyslipidemias / complications
  • Dyslipidemias / drug therapy*
  • Endoscopy, Digestive System
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Obesity / complications
  • Odds Ratio
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Risk Factors
  • United States
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Substances

  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors