Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31595525›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2019

A sequence symmetry analysis of the interrelationships between statins, diabetes and skin infections.

Humphrey H T Ko, Ricky R Lareu, Brett R Dix, Jeffery D Hughes, Richard W Parsons

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Selective statin therapy and nasal staphylococcal colonisation: a retrospective case-control study.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2026
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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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Humphrey H T KoSchool of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3107-4240
Ricky R LareuSchool of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Brett R DixSchool of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Jeffery D HughesSchool of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Richard W ParsonsSchool of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Curtin University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo determine statins' impact on skin infection risk in view of conflicting literature: that statins may reduce infection risk, but are also associated with diabetes mellitus, a risk factor for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs).

methodsSequence symmetry analysis was performed on prescription claims (2001-2011) from the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs to determine the interrelationships between: (i) statins and SSTIs; (ii) statins and diabetes; and (iii) diabetes and SSTIs; as well as whether statins increased the risk of SSTIs, independent of diabetes status. Chi-square tests were performed to detect differences in Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage scores of patients within each interrelationship. Prescriptions for statins, antidiabetic medication, and antistaphylococcal antibiotics were evaluated using nonidentifiable client numbers, prescription dates filled, residential electorates, and pharmaceutical codes. Adjusted sequence ratio and confidence interval were calculated at intervals of 91, 182 and 365 days for sequence symmetry analysis studies.

resultsStatins were associated with: (i) significant SSTI risk (adjusted sequence ratio > 1; confidence interval >1), (ii) significant diabetes risk, and (iii) diabetic patients had increased risk of SSTIs. Diabetic and nondiabetic statin users had significantly increased risks of SSTIs, while the influence from socioeconomic status was not significant for each of the 3 relationships.

conclusionsStatins are associated with increased risk of SSTIs via direct and indirect mechanisms, probably independent of diabetes or socioeconomic statuses. We believe that clinicians should be aware of the association between statins and SSTIs, and, where appropriate, monitor blood glucose levels of statin users.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAustraliaCardiovascular DiseasesDiabetes MellitusDrug PrescriptionsFemaleHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsImmunity, InnateMaleMiddle AgedPharmacoepidemiologyRisk FactorsSocial ClassStaphylococcal Skin InfectionsHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitorsantibioticsdiabetespharmacoepidemiologystatins

Identifiers

PMID31595525
PMCPMC6848907
OpenAlexW2979827142

What OpenQuestion holds

Texttitle and abstract
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.