The use of statins, commonly prescribed to cholesterol patients, may reduce complications among patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR), according to a new study.
The study based on records from the Danish Hip Arthroplasty Registry and published in the May 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) found that patients taking statins for cholesterol control postoperatively had a significantly lower risk of revision during the ten-year period following THR.
In addition, researchers noted that the risk of revision decreased with the longer use of statins.
Theis Thillemann, MD, fellow in the department of orthopaedic surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, said that the survival of a hip implant is related to many different mechanisms.
“Statins have been associated with improved bone metabolism, improved anti-inflammatory effects and improved prognosis after infections,” said Thillemann.
The study noted that these drugs may help to improve THR outcomes in several ways, including encouraging bone formation, and reducing inflammation and the rate of infections at the site of the implant.
