The Impact of Statins on the Healing and Recurrence of Venous Leg Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

10:55 AM – 11:05 AM US EDT

Location: Grand Ballroom A

Introduction, Objectives, and/or Purpose: Venous leg ulcers constitute an important health burden for healthcare systems worldwide. Despite proven efficacy of interventional and conservative treatment strategies, outcomes for patients with venous ulceration remain poor. As such, the search for adjuvant medical therapy remains paramount. Statins have shown potential wound-healing properties; however, their role in the treatment of venous leg ulcers remains unclear. The primary objectives of this study were to identify the impact of statins on the healing and recurrence of venous leg ulcers.

Methods: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and non-randomised studies. MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews were independently searched from inception up to 15/03/23 for relevant studies by two reviewers. The primary endpoints were rates of ulcer healing, time to ulcer healing, rates of ipsilateral ulcer recurrence and time to ipsilateral ulcer recurrence. Meta-analysis was employed using the fixed effects and random effects models.

Results: Two studies with a total of 828 participants were eligible for inclusion. Of 173 participants who had received statins, venous leg ulcers were healed in 67.6% (117 participants) before the end of study duration. Conversely, healing rates were 55.6% in the 655 participants who had not received statin therapy. Using the random effects model, although there was a trend towards better healing rates in patients who received statin therapy, this was not statistically significant (RR 1.50, 95% CI: 0.82 – 2.75). Using the fixed effects model, the rates of ulcer healing were significantly higher in the cohort receiving statin therapy (RR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.07 – 1.41). However, there was significant clinical and statistical heterogeneity between the included studies (I2 = 85%, p = 0.01). There was no data reported on time to ulcer healing, rates of ipsilateral ulcer recurrence and time to ipsilateral ulcer recurrence.

Conclusion(s): There is low-grade evidence to support the use of statins in patients with venous leg ulcers; however, further studies are needed in order to elucidate their role in promoting ulcer healing and to assess their impact on time to healing, and ulcer recurrence.

Presenting Author(s)

Hussein Elghazaly, MBBS, BSc (Hons) AICSM

Academic Foundation Doctor and Honorary Clinical Research Fellow
Imperial College London and Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust, United Kingdom

Disclosure(s):
The forementioned Program Planner, Faculty, Author, Moderator, or Speaker, has declared for this educational activity, having no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

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Co-Author(s)

Marwah Salih, MBBS, MSc

Dr
Imperial College London and Imperial Collee NHS Healthcare Trust, United Kingdom

Disclosure(s):
The forementioned Program Planner, Faculty, Author, Moderator, or Speaker, has declared for this educational activity, having no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

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Sarah Onida, BSc PhD FRCSVasc

Clinical Lecturer in Vascular Surgery
Imperial College London
Imperial College London
London, United States

Disclosure(s):
The forementioned Program Planner, Faculty, Author, Moderator, or Speaker, has declared for this educational activity, having no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. or AVLS has reviewed / mitigated there are no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.
Alun H. Davies, MA, DM, DSc, FRCS, FHEA, FEBVS, FLSW, FACPh

Professor of Vascular Surgery
Section of Vascular Surgery, Imperial College London
Imperial College
London, England, United Kingdom

Disclosure(s):
The forementioned Program Planner, Faculty, Author, Moderator, or Speaker, has declared for this educational activity, having no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. or AVLS has reviewed / mitigated there are no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.