Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31073857›Full record

SynthesisJournal of general internal medicine2019

Postponement of Death by Statin Use: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Morten Rix Hansen, Asbjørn Hróbjartsson, Anton Pottegård, Per Damkier, Kasper Søltoft Larsen, Kenneth Grønkjær Madsen, René dePont Christensen, Malene Elisa Lopez Kristensen, Palle Mark Christensen, Jesper Hallas

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of general internal medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Arzte des Offentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (Germany)) · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. What problems in health care quality should we target as the world burns around us?CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2022
    Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Morten Rix HansenClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark. mrix@health.sdu.dk.
Asbjørn HróbjartssonCenter for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense, University of Southern Denmark, Sønderborg, Denmark.
Anton PottegårdClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
Per DamkierDepartment of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Kasper Søltoft LarsenClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
Kenneth Grønkjær MadsenClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
René dePont ChristensenResearch Unit for General Practice, Odense, Denmark.
Malene Elisa Lopez KristensenClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
Palle Mark ChristensenClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
Jesper HallasClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløwsvej 19, 2, 5000, Odense, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe average postponement of the outcome (gain in time to event) has been proposed as a measure to convey the effect of preventive medications. Among its advantages over number needed to treat and relative risk reduction is a better intuitive understanding among lay persons.

objectivesTo develop a novel approach for modeling outcome postponement achieved within a trial's duration, based on published trial data and to present a formalized meta-analysis of modeled outcome postponement for all-cause mortality in statin trials.

methodsThe outcome postponement was modeled on the basis of the hazard ratio or relative risk, the mortality rate in the placebo group and the trial's duration. Outcome postponement was subjected to a meta-analysis. We also estimated the average outcome postponement as the area between Kaplan-Meier curves. Statin trials were identified through a systematic review.

resultsThe median modeled outcome postponement was 10.0 days (interquartile range, 2.9-19.5 days). Meta-analysis of 16 trials provided a summary estimate of outcome postponement for all-cause mortality of 12.6 days, with a 95% postponement interval (PI) of 7.1-18.0. For primary, secondary, and mixed prevention trials, respectively, outcome postponements were 10.2 days (PI, 4.0-16.3), 17.4 days (PI, 6.0-28.8), and 8.5 days (PI, 1.9-15.0).

conclusionsThe modeled outcome postponement is amenable to meta-analysis and may be a useful approach for presenting the benefits of preventive interventions. Statin treatment results in a small increase of average survival within the duration of a trial. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: The systematic review was registered in PROSPERO [CRD42016037507] .

Indexed as

AdultAgedFemaleHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsKaplan-Meier EstimateMaleMiddle AgedPrimary PreventionRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSecondary PreventionSurvival AnalysisHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID31073857
PMCPMC6667545

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.