High-potency statins increase the risk of acute kidney injury: Evidence from a large population-based study

Objective: To assess the association between acute kidney injury and exposure to either high-potency statins or low-potency statins. Design: A population-based, nested case-control study was performed on a cohort of 316,449 patients from Lombardy (Italy) newly treated with statins between 2007 and 2010 aged 40 years or older. 458 patients experienced acute kidney injury within six months after initial statin prescription. Up to four controls were randomly selected for each case. Logistic regression was used to model the outcome risk associated with high-potency contrasted with low-potency statins dispensed at starting therapy, and during follow-up. Results: Patients at whom high-potency statins were initially dispensed were more likely to be hospitalized for acute kidney injury within six months after starting treatment than those on low-potency statins (adjusted OR 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.25-1.91). Patients receiving high-potency statins within three weeks before the outcome onset had a significant increased risk respect to those who did not receive statins during the same time-window (adjusted OR 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.04-2.03). When follow-up was extended from 6 months to 12 months the difference was not significant anymore (adjusted OR 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.89-1.54). Conclusions: Use of high-potency statins is associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury compared with low-potency statins in the first 6 months after starting therapy.