Logo image
Back
Interplay of statin treatment and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in the outcome of COVID-19: a prospective, propensity score matched cohort study
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Interplay of statin treatment and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in the outcome of COVID-19: a prospective, propensity score matched cohort study

Sylvia Mink, Heinz Drexel, Andreas Leiherer, Janne Cadamuro, Wolfgang Hitzl, Matthias Frick, Patrick Reimann, Christoph H. Saely and Peter Fraunberger
Atherosclerosis, v 408, p120449
01 Sep 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120449
PMID: 40712415
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies Correlate of protection COVID-19 Inflammation SARS-CoV-2 Statins Vaccination
Despite high global vaccination coverage and widespread statin use, it remains unclear how the interplay of anti-SARS-CoV-2-antibodies and statin treatment (ST) affect inflammation levels in COVID-19. It is further unclear whether the combination of ST and antibody levels affect COVID-19-related mortality risk. We conducted a prospective, propensity-score-matched, multicenter-cohort study including 1144 COVID-19 patients hospitalized August 2021–April 2022. Anti-SARS-CoV-2-spike antibodies, interleukin-6, and CRP were measured on hospital admission. The pre-specified primary endpoint was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Median follow-up was 90 days (IQR48-90). In matched patients, mortality risk increased incrementally from the lowest risk group of patients on ST exhibiting high antibody levels to the highest risk group of patients without ST and low antibody levels. The highest risk group also presented with the highest inflammation levels. After adjusting for potential confounders, matched patients not receiving statins with low antibody levels were approximately 7.9 times more likely to die than patients on ST with high antibody levels (aHR 7.922, 95 %CI 2.777–22.605, p < 0.001). Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with low antibody levels and lack of statin treatment exhibited the highest mortality risks. The combination of ST and antibodies showed a stronger association with mortality risk than either factor individually. [Display omitted] •Mortality risk was strongly associated with the combination of statin treatment and antibody levels.•Patients without statins and low antibodies had the highest inflammation and mortality risk.•Mortality risk was 7.9 times higher in non-statin users with low antibodies vs. statin users with high antibodies.•The combination of statins and antibodies predicted mortality better than either factor alone.•Patient matching was required to account for differences in age and comorbidities between statin users and non-users.

Metrics

1 Record Views

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

Source: SDGs in the Output

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Logo image