SynthesisSystematic reviews2026
Statins for the prevention of exacerbations in COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe role of statins in reduction of acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the preventive effect of statins on exacerbations in COPD patients.
methodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov, without language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on treatment of COPD with statins, compared with placebo, were reviewed. Estimated effects of included studies were pooled as risk ratios (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) framework.
resultsThree RCTs (enrolling 1190 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, the exacerbation related hospitalization rate (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.97; GRADE = low) and severe exacerbation rate (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.99; low) were significantly lower in statins groups. There was no statistically significant difference in moderate exacerbation rate (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.04; very low), annualized exacerbation rate (WMD -0.21 per person-year, 95% CI -0.61 to 0.20; very low), and annualized moderate-to-severe exacerbation rate (WMD -0.21 per person-year, 95% CI -0.57 to 0.15; very low) between the two groups.
conclusionsIn the absence of single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT), statins were associated with a reduction in severe exacerbations and hospitalization rates of COPD. Given the limitations of the evidence we found, further large-scale, high-quality studies are needed to clarify the impact of statins on prognosis and the beneficiary population. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42025644971.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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.