Background: A potentially modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in patients with mild chronic renal insufficiency is dyslipidemia. Few studies examined the effects of statins on all-cause mortality and major coronary events in patients with renal dysfunction.
Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis from the Randomized Trial of Cholesterol Lowering in 4,444 Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study. Of 4,444 participants, 2,314 (52.1%) had mild chronic renal insufficiency defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 75 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (<1.25 mL/s), measured using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. The primary end point was all-cause mortality.
Results: During the follow-up period, simvastatin use was associated with decreased all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.69; confidence interval [CI], 0.54 to 0.89) in the 2,314 participants with mild chronic renal insufficiency. Rates of major coronary events (adjusted HR, 0.67; CI, 0.56 to 0.79) and coronary revascularization (adjusted HR, 0.62; CI, 0.49 to 0.77) also were significantly lower in the simvastatin group. No significant decreases in stroke incidence were observed in the simvastatin group (adjusted HR, 0.88; CI, 0.55 to 1.39). The side-effect profile was similar between the 2 treatment groups.
Conclusion: Simvastatin therapy appears to be effective and safe for the secondary prevention of all-cause mortality and major coronary events in patients with mild chronic renal dysfunction.