Statins are independently associated with increased HbA1c in type 1 diabetes--The Thousand & 1 Study.
AIMS
Statin use has been associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and with impaired glycemic control in T2DM patients. The association between statin use and glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is unknown. The association between use of statins and glycemic control in T1DM patients without known heart disease was examined.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 1093 T1DM patients from the outpatient clinic at Steno Diabetes Center. Physical examination, questionnaires, and echocardiography were performed in all patients. Investigators were blinded to all laboratory measurements. Data were analyzed in uni-and multivariable models.


RESULTS
Mean age 49.6 years, 53% men, mean diabetes duration 25.5 years, 475 (43.5%) received statins. In baseline analyses statin users tended to be older, have longer diabetes duration, and have more severe kidney disease. Left ventricular ejection fraction was not associated with statin use. In multivariable models including age, gender, diabetes duration, BMI, blood pressure, physical activity, family history of cardiovascular disease, physical activity, albuminuria, eGFR, retinopathy, smoking, cholesterol, ejection fraction, triglycerides, and use of ACE/ATII-antagonists, aspirin, calcium-antagonists, betablockers or diuretics, statin use was independently and significantly associated with higher HbA1c (0.2% (95%CI: 0.1; 0.4) (2.0 mmol/mol (0.2; 3.8)), p=0.029).


CONCLUSIONS
In T1DM, use of statins is independently associated with impaired glycemic control. A causal relationship cannot be determined from this study. Given the benefit on cardiovascular outcome, this should not cause patients to stop statin treatment, but may indicate a need to revisit dose of insulin when starting statin treatment.
['Jensen|Magnus Thorsten|MT|', 'Andersen|Henrik Ullits|HU|', 'Rossing|Peter|P|', 'Jensen|Jan Skov|JS|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001786:Blood Glucose D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D003718:Denmark D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 D004452:Echocardiography D005260:Female D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin A D006801:Humans D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors D006937:Hypercholesterolemia D007328:Insulin D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
Statins HbA1c Diabetes Glycemic control Type 1 diabetes Prevention