Trial reportThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2013
Statin therapy worsens insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Trial report in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03189511 (Short Term Effect of Fluvastatin on Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis and Activity in Humans), which is not on this map. Cited by 38 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Short Term Effect of Fluvastatin on Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis and Activity in Humans
Open the trial in the graphWho cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 100 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Statins for women with polycystic ovary syndrome not actively trying to conceive.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Statin's role on blood pressure levels: Meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) · 2023Pooled it
- The effects of statins on hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2021Pooled it
- Effect of atorvastatin on testosterone levels.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- The Effect of Statins on Levels of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2019Pooled it
- An investigation into the therapeutic effects of statins with metformin on polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.BMJ open · 2015 · on this mapPooled it
- Lipid-lowering efficacy of atorvastatin.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015 · on this mapPooled it
- Statins Are Associated With Increased Insulin Resistance and Secretion.Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · 2021 · on this mapTrial
- The effect of atorvastatin treatment on serum oxysterol concentrations and cytochrome P450 3A4 activity.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2015Trial
- Longitudinal Association of Statin Treatment With Insulin Sensitivity and Beta-Cell Function in the PROMISE Cohort.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2025Article
- Molecular and Immunomodulatory Mechanisms of Statins in Inflammation and Cancer Therapeutics with Emphasis on the NF-κB, NLRP3 Inflammasome, and Cytokine Regulatory Axes.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Comparative advantage and efficacy of natural products for polycystic ovary syndrome.Journal of ovarian research · 2025Review
- Statins for polycystic ovary syndrome in varying resource settings: a phenome-wide association study and evidence synthesis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- The Current and Emerging Role of Statins in the Treatment of PCOS: The Evidence to Date.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Review
- Review
- Multi-omics insights and therapeutic implications in polycystic ovary syndrome: a review.Functional & integrative genomics · 2023Review
- Rosuvastatin Potentiates Gonadotropin-Lowering Effects of Metformin in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study.Pharmacology · 2023Article
- Management of Dyslipidemia in Endocrine Diseases.Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America · 2022Review
- Ten things to know about ten cardiovascular disease risk factors - 2022.American journal of preventive cardiology · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
contextStatins have been shown to improve hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, their use has also been associated with impairment of glucose metabolism and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Because women with PCOS are prone to disturbances in glucose metabolism, statin therapy could also have negative effects.
objectiveOur objective was to explore the effects of atorvastatin therapy on hormonal and metabolic parameters in women with PCOS. DESIGN AND
settingWe conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 6-month follow-up study conducted at Oulu University Hospital, Finland. PATIENTS: Women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria) were treated with atorvastatin (20 mg/d, n = 15) or placebo (n = 13) for 6 months.
interventionsFasting serum samples were collected at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Oral and iv glucose tolerance tests were performed at 0 and 6 months.
main outcome measuresAndrogen secretion and glucose metabolism were measured.
resultsFasting levels and area under the curve of insulin increased significantly and insulin sensitivity (insulinogenic and Matsuda indexes) decreased during 6 months of atorvastatin therapy. Serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate decreased in the atorvastatin group, whereas no change was observed in serum testosterone levels. Levels of C-reactive protein, total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides decreased significantly during statin therapy.
conclusionsAtorvastatin therapy improves chronic inflammation and lipid profile, but it impairs insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS. Because women with PCOS have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, the results suggest that statin therapy should be initiated on the basis of generally accepted criteria and individual risk assessment of cardiovascular disease, and not only because of PCOS.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.