Among COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care, administering atorvastatin 20 mg/d was not associated with a significant reduction in risk for venous or arterial thrombosis, for treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), or for all-cause mortality, in comparison with placebo, noted the INSPIRATION-S study.

However, researchers suggested of benefit in a subgroup of patients treated within 7 days of onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Atorvastatin use was found not to be tied to a significant reduction in the primary outcome (a composite of adjudicated venous or arterial thrombosis, treatment with ECMO, or mortality within 30 days), which was evident in 32.7% of the statin group compared to 36.3% of the placebo group. However, among the subgroup of patients who presented in the first 7 days of onset of COVID-19 symptoms, there appeared to be a hint of a protective effect with the statin treatment.

The study was presented at the virtual American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2021 Scientific Session… (Medscape)