Lower and higher-potency statins on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study

AIMS: Evidences showed a link between statins and new-onset diabetes and large clinical trials in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) suggested a mild glycemic progression in statin treated. Since this effect has not yet elucidated in real world, we investigated the effects of different statins on glycemia in T2DM clinic outpatients. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, we recorded at 6 and 12months modifications of fasting glucose (FPG), HbA1c, diabetes intensification therapy and target rate for HbA1c in 421 T2DM non-users and new statin users. Statins were categorized with low or high potency. RESULTS: Compared to statin users, no statin group showed a significant HbA1c reduction from 52.8±14.0mmol/mol to 48.2±8.5 (p=0.003) at 6months and 48.6±8.8 (p=0.007) at 12months. This trend without statins was also observed in FPG starting from 7.1±2.0mmol/l to 6.7±1.6 (p=0.12) at 6months and 6.6±1.5 (p=0.032) at 12months. Statins determined a significant diabetes treatment intensification: 48.7% vs 27.4% (p=0.002) with hazard ratio 2.4 [95% CI 1.14-5.2], p=0.022. HbA1c target was significantly lower in statin users 62.0% vs 75.4%, p=0.042. Only lower-potency statins showed a significant reduction of HbA1c from 52.0±11.1mmol/mol to 50.7±9.0 (p=0.017) and 50.7±9.5 (p=0.038) at 6 and 12months, respectively. The same effect for these statins was registered in FPG from 7.5±2.2mmol/l to 7.0±1.6 (p=0.021) at 6months and 7.2±1.5 (p=0.026) at 12months. CONCLUSIONS: In patients receiving statin therapy a greater intensification diabetes therapy is need. This impact seems to be less pronounced by statins with lower potency.