STATINS USE AND RISK OF SARCOPENIA IN COMMUNITY
DWELLING OLDER ADULTS
ANNA MARIE HERGHELEGIU 1,2, GABRIEL IOAN PRADA 1,2, RALUCA MIHAELA NACU 2, ANDREI KOZMA 3*, IOANA DANA ALEXA 4
1National Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology “Ana Aslan”, 9 Cǎldǎrușani St., Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania
2University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, 37 Dionisie Lupu St., Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania
Tel.: 0.21 318.0719/ Fax.: 0.21 318 07 30
3“Fr. I. Rainer” Anthropology Institute of Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
4University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr.T.Popa”, 16 Universității St., Iasi, Romania
*corresponding author: correspondence.nigg@gmail.com
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Abstract:
Current guidelines recommend statin use for cardiovascular risk management in adults as well as older people but in many
situations these recommendations feature individualized drug management decisions. Statin induced myalgia and muscular
toxicity syndrome are gaining more and more attention especially in older patients with sarcopenia. In this case-control study
we investigated the association between long term statin use and risk of sarcopenia. A total number of 368 patients with a
mean age of 76.43 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. Statin treatment significantly increased the odds
of patients’ being at high risk for sarcopenia by a factor of 2.62 (OR = 2.62, 95%CI: 1.53 - 4.46; p < 0.001). The enhanced
risk of sarcopenia was associated with lipophilic statins use and positively correlated with the dosage. When correlating the
education level, area of residence, income and living arrangements, statin administration remained significantly associated
with a high risk for sarcopenia.

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