Adjunctive role of statin therapy on airway inflammation and clinical consequence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Background
While recent scholarly reviews suggest statins may bolster respiratory health and lower the frequency of emergency medical visits for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), clinical consensus remains varied.


Objective
This research sought to assess how statin use influences inflammatory markers, radiological characteristics, and overall clinical progression in individuals diagnosed with COPD.


Patients and Methods
A total of 122 participants were initially recruited from Mansoura University Hospitals between January 2024 and June 2025, with 80 individuals completing the full six-month protocol. Participants with GOLD Grade E COPD were randomized into two cohorts: a study group receiving 20 mg of atorvastatin daily as an adjunct to standard care, and a control group receiving only standard treatment. Outcomes were measured using the multi-dimensional CLFR (Clinical, Laboratory, Functional, and Radiological) scoring system.


Results

Analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in the statin-treated group (
P
 = 0.025) compared to the non-statin group (
P
 = 0.136) over the six-month period.



Conclusion
The study indicates that statins exert a positive influence on COPD symptoms and systemic inflammation, likely due to their pleiotropic anti-inflammatory properties. Consequently, statins may serve as an effective supplementary therapy for managing advanced COPD.