That's what some researchers are suggesting. “Statins may have a role in reducing mortality from influenza, but our findings do not justify broader use of statins without confirming these findings in the setting of randomized controlled trials,” study author Dr. Ann Thomas, from the Emerging Infections Program at the Oregon Department of Human Services Public Health Division in Portland.
“Statins may have a benefit, in conjunction with vaccine and antivirals, in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with influenza, likely due to their effect of reducing the body’s inflammatory response to influenza infection,” she tells HealthDay News in advance of her presentation today at the Infectious Diseases Society of America annual meeting in Philadelphia.
Her team examined outcomes of hospitalized flu patients over two flu seasons and found those on statins were more likely to be older, male, white or Asian with underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. And they were more likely to have had a flu shot. Those with heart disease were more likely to die, but those given statins in the hospital were less likely to die, HealthDay writes.
“Our data are from the 2007-2008 influenza season, well before novel H1N1 emerged, so no one knows for sure if statins would reduce mortality from H1N1,” she tells HealthDay. “However, since the likely mechanism of statins in reducing mortality is their general effect of down-regulating the immune system, it is plausible that statins might be useful in treating influenza infections due to novel H1N1."
Not everyone agrees. One doc says the study is of limited value...
“Influenza increases your risk of dying from heart disease. At the same time, statins reduce your risk of dying from heart disease. So, it’s not surprising to find that there are fewer deaths among those taking statins,” Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine, tells HealthDay. “You can’t conclude from this study that people with influenza should take statins. Statins are protective in a situation where the heart is at risk, even influenza — that, I’ll buy.”
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I rarely post, but I wanted to say thanks for sharing this information.
Thanks for sharing this information?!
Ye gads what a perfect example of galling opportunism. If a person is struggling with cardiovascular disease and has been on statins, it's likely the hit to his immune system caused by the statins that landed him in hospital. http://www.spacedoc.net/statins_immune_system.html
And statins will also cure hallitosis, make it less likely to get ingrown toenails, treat multiple myeloma, and solve global warming as well.
So what's new? The silent killer of the elderly has now become "THE MIRACLE WONDER CURE ALL PILL!" It is the silient killer because doctors are not reporting the many serious dangerous adverse side effects that statins have caused---in fact many deaths from statins are not reported-and instead doctors are pushing statins on everyone. All research studies should be required to diclose the researchers financiaL DISCLOSURES and the author's affiliations.
I love the chutzpah of some people on this site.
One day people go nuts in support of products with absolutely no evidence (see Avastin vs. Lucentis debate) and the next day people dismiss when there is some evidence that may sell more of some products.
I agree that this is retrospective analysis, but seems rigourous enough (controlled for other variables) to make it intriguing. Also, there's lots of other basic science evidence supporting anti-inflammatory properties of statins. This is how science often happens....
Personally, I have been able to walk on water ever since starting a statin.
Unfortunately, it's my own water.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences July 2009 Journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ejps
Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a statin/caffeine combination against H5N1, H3N2 and H1N1 virus infection in BALB/c mice.
a b s t r a c t
The development of novel antiviral drugs is necessary for the prevention and treatment of a potential avian influenza pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel statin/caffeine combination against H5N1,H3N2 and H1N1virus infection in a murine model. In H5N1-, H3N2- and H1N1- infected BALB/c mice, 50g statin/200g caffeine effectively ameliorated lung damage and inhibited viral replication and was at least as effective as oseltamivir(Tamiflu) and Ribavirin. The statin/caffeine combination also appeared to be more effective when administered preventatively rather than as treatment. These findings provide justification for further research into this novel antiviral formulation.
Authors: Zeyu Liua,c, Zhongmin Guob, GuolingWangc, Dingmei Zhanga, Hongxuan Hed, Guowei Li a, Yuge Liua, Denise Higginse, AoiffeWalshe, Leo Shanahan-Prendergast e, Jiahai Lua,∗ a School of Public Health, State Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control Research, Sun Yat-sen University, 74# Zhongshan 2 Road, Guangzhou 510080, PR China b Experiment Animal Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China c Haizhu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510288, PR China d National Research Centre for Wildlife Borne Disease Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, PR China e Canopus BioPharma, 11825 Ventura Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 91604, USA
Before people run to their doctors to get statin drugs they need to question who paid for this study. Only then can they determine if this is real or yet another attempt by corrupt drug companies to increase profits. It seems questionable to me this comes out while we are watching news stories of vaccine shortages.
I forget where I saw it, but one of the possible mechanisms of statins is that it makes vitamin-D more active, which has also been shown to decrease risk of influenza.
Maybe this one. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. Aug 2009 ..."Increased levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin d and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D after rosuvastatin treatment: a novel pleiotropic effect of statins?".......There was a significant increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D, from mean 14.0 (range 3.7- 67) to mean 36.3 (range 3.8 -117) ng/ml (p < 0.001),.....CONCLUSION: This study has shown an effect of rosuvastatin on vitamin D metabolism, with an increase in both 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. This may be an important pleiotropic effect whereby rosuvastatin reduces mortality in patients with coronary artery disease....
And vitamin d has been linked to numerous health benefits including enhanced immune response. Statin the water. ? Or a short walk in the sun?