Abstract
Purpose :
Several studies suggest that statins have anti-inflammatory effect besides their cholesterol-lowering effect, and therefore may be beneficial for dry eye disease (DED). Data on the association between oral statin use and severity of DED is limited. We examine the association between statin use and severity of DED symptoms and signs among participants in the DREAM© study, a randomized multi-center clinical trial to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the treatment of dry eye.
Methods :
Self-reported oral statin use and daily dosage were collected at baseline. Statin use was further classified as low-intensity, moderate-intensity, and high-intensity according to American College of Cardiology guidelines. At baseline, 6 and 12 months, DED symptoms were evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), DED signs in each eye were tear break up time (TBUT), Schirmer’s test, corneal fluorescein staining, conjunctival lissamine green staining, and Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Generalized linear models adjusted for age, gender, race, time and inter-eye correlation were used to compare the score on OSDI, scores of DED signs and a composite score of DED signs between statin users and non-users, and among users of different statin intensities.
Results :
Among 535 participants with moderate to severe DED, 129 (24.1%) were statin users, with 15 (2.8%) low-intensity, 77 (14.6%) moderate-intensity and 31 (5.9%) high-intensity statin use. Statin users were significantly older than non-users (mean [SD] age 64.7 [9.4] vs. 55.9 [13.5], p<0.001). When data from baseline, 6 and 12 months were combined, statin use at baseline was not associated with severity of dry eye symptoms or signs (Figure 1, all adjusted p≥0.09). Higher intensity statin use was associated with lower MGD (Figure 2, adjusted trend p=0.049); although the mean score for non-users was similar to the mean score for moderate intensity users.
Conclusions :
Among participants with moderate to severe DED, statin use was not associated with severity of dry eye symptoms and signs. Use of higher intensity statin was associated with lower MGD. Further analysis is needed to identify whether there is a specific type of MGD associated with intensity of statin use.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.