Prevention & lipidsCohort study
The Impact of Statin Therapy on Postoperative Short- and Long-term Mortality and Morbidity After Non-Cardiac Surgery.
- Cohort study
- two university hospitals
- inverse probability of treatment weighting
- random forest-estimated propensity scores
- average treatment effect in the treated
- weighted Cox regression
Authors' conclusion
Among adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery, established preoperative statin therapy was associated with dose-dependent lower 365-day mortality. These findings suggest perioperative statin continuation as a preventive strategy and warrant confirmation in a randomised trial.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥45 years undergoing non-cardiac surgery at two university hospitals (2016–2023)patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery
- Participants
- 56,362 patients
- Exposure
- Preoperative statin exposure as status, intensity, and regimen
- Outcome
- 30- and 365-day mortality
- Follow-up
- 30 and 365 days
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Statin therapy vs No statinHazard ratio (95% CI)
30-day mortality; non-significant
0.78(0.57–1.07)
365-day mortality
0.81(0.73–0.90)
- 365-day mortality
- ARD −1.2 percentage points
- Number needed to treat (365-day mortality)
- 83
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| 365-day mortality by statin intensity (dose-response) · 365 days — High-intensity vs No statin · 29% lower hazard | 0.71 (0.60–0.83) | |
| 365-day mortality by statin intensity (dose-response) · 365 days — Low/intermediate-intensity vs No statin · 16% lower hazard | 0.84 (0.74–0.96) | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | ARD (points) |
|---|---|
| 365-day mortality by statin intensity (dose-response) · 365 days — High-intensity vs No statin | −2.3 |
Deaths overall · 30 and 365 days
- Died within 30 days
- 372 patients (0.6%)
- Died within 365 days
- 3,735 (6.6%)
365-day mortality by statin intensity (dose-response)
- Findings were consistent across sensitivity analyses
Original publication
The Impact of Statin Therapy on Postoperative Short- and Long-term Mortality and Morbidity After Non-Cardiac Surgery. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 12 October 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag532
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it