From: The impact of statins on psychological wellbeing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Lead author, year, reference | Study design | Agent/dosage | Sample | Measure | Presentation of results | Key finding |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Muldoon 2000 [28] | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Lovastatin (20 mg)/placebo | 209 generally healthy adults with LDL cholesterol level of 160 mg/dl or higher were randomized (complete data: drug, n = 98; placebo, n = 96) | Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; NEO-Depression | Means and SDs | 24-week treatment of hypercholesterolemia with lovastatin did not cause psychological distress |
Wardle 1996 [23] | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Simvastatin 20 mg or 40 mg daily/placebo | 621 individuals greater higher than average risk of CHD based on medical history (total cholesterol of ≥3.5 mmol/l) were randomized (complete data: drug, n = 334; placebo, n = 157) | Shortened profile of Mood States Questionnaire | Medians and IQRs | 152 weeks of cholesterol-lowering treatment did not cause mood disturbance |
Hyyppa 2003c | Two separate randomizations, Double-blind, crossover design | Simvastatin 20 mg/day plus dietary intervention/placebo | 120 hypercholesterolemic but otherwise healthy middle-aged men (complete data: drug, n = 60; placebo, n = 60) | Brief Symptom Inventory | Mean difference in change scores between groups, SEM | 12 weeks of simvastatin resulted in a statistically significant increase in depression |
Harrison 1994 [24] | Randomized, crossover design | Sequential placebo, pravastatin 40 mg day/simvastatin 40 mg day, in separate 4-week treatment phases | 25 healthy volunteers (17 male, 8 female), average age 23.8 years. Drug, n = 25/n = 25; placebo, n = 25. HADS score for pravastatin was 1.5 (0.6 to 2.4). | HADS, BDI (baseline only) | Means and CIs | No association between simvastatin and depression or anxiety at 4 weeks |
Gengo 1995 [25] | Randomized, cross over design | Placebo, lovastatin (40 mg), and pravastatin (40 mg) for 4 weeks | 36 patients between the ages of 40 and 60 years with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Drug, n = 24/n = 24; placebo, n = 24. Mood scores for pravastatin 4.8 (6.5). | Profile of Mood States (fatigue/inertia) | Means and SDs | After 4 weeks, no statistically significant differences between lovastatin in changes from baseline were observed on any parameter |
Stewart 2000 [26] | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial | Pravastatin sodium (40 mg/day) for 4 years | 1130 with stable CAD. Drug, n = 559; placebo, n = 571. | General Health Questionnaire (depression and anxiety domains) | Means and SDs | After 4 years no significant increases in self-reported depression, anxiety |
Morales 2006 [27] | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Simvastatin up to 20 mg/day or placebo for 15 weeks | 80 older volunteers, average age 70 years, with high normal/mildly elevated serum cholesterol (placebo, n = 39; drug completers, n = 33) | Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale | Mean and SDs | After 3 months, drug group reported decrease in positive affect |