Use of cholesterol-lowering medications in relation to risk of primary liver cancer in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink
Menée à partir de données portant sur 14 876 témoins et 3 719 patients atteints d'un cancer du foie, cette étude analyse l'association entre une utilisation de médicaments hypocholestérolémiants (autres que les statines) et le risque de développer la maladie
Background: Although the relation between statin use and liver cancer risk has been extensively examined, few studies have examined other cholesterol-lowering medications in relation to liver cancer risk. The authors examined five classes of nonstatin medications and liver cancer risk. Methods: A nested case–control including 3719 cases and 14,876 matched controls was conducted within the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Additional matches on type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease were also implemented. The medications examined included cholesterol absorption inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Conditional logistic regression estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Cholesterol absorption inhibitor use was associated with reduced liver cancer risk in the overall analysis (odds ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.50–0.96) and in analyses based on type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease status. Although bile acid sequestrant use was associated with increased liver cancer risk in the overall analysis (odds ratio, 5.31; 95% confidence interval, 3.534–7.97), the results of the analyses based on type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease status were inconsistent. No associations were observed for the other medications. Conclusions: Cholesterol absorption inhibitors may be associated with reduced liver cancer risk. Whether bile acid sequestrant use was associated with increased risk was only partially supported in the current study.