The benefit of
statin therapy in patients with advanced
chronic kidney disease remains uncertain. Randomized trials have questioned the efficacy of the
drug in improving outcomes for on-dialysis populations, and many patients with
end-stage renal disease are not currently taking
statins. This study aimed to investigate the impact of
statin use on survival of patients with vascular access performed at a vascular center for chronic dialysis. Consecutive
end-stage renal disease patients admitted for vascular access surgery in 2006 to 2013 were reviewed. Information on
therapy was retrieved and patients on
statins were compared to those who were not on
statins. Primary endpoint was 5-year survival. Independent predictors of mortality were assessed with Cox regression analysis adjusting for covariates (ie, age, sex,
hyperlipidemia,
hypertension,
cardiac disease,
cerebrovascular disease,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
obesity, diabetes, and
statins). Three hundred fifty-nine patients (230 males; mean age 68.9 ± 13.7 years) receiving 554 vascular accesses were analyzed: 127 (35.4%) were on
statins. Use of
statins was more frequent in patients with
hypertension (89.8% v 81%; P = .034),
hyperlipidemia (52.4% v 6.2%; P < .0001),
coronary disease (54.1% v 42.6%; P = .043), diabetes (39.4% v 21.6%; P = .001), and
obesity (11.6% v 2.0%; P < .0001). Mean follow-up was 35 months. Kaplan-Meier survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 84.4% and 75.9% for patients taking
statins and 77.0% and 65.1% for those not taking
statins (P = .18). Cox regression analysis selected
statins therapy as the only independent negative predictor (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval = 0.32-0.95; P = .032) of mortality, while age was an independent positive predictor (odds ratio = 1.05; 95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.08; P < .0001). Vascular access patency was comparable in
statin takers and those not taking
statins (P = .60). Use of
statins might halve the risk of all-cause mortality at 5 years in adult patients with vascular access for chronic dialysis.
Statins therapy should be considered in
end-stage renal disease populations requiring dialysis access placement.