NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 20 - The use of HMG-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) is associated with a substantial reduction in fracture risk in older women , according to a report in the March 11th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The effects of bone mineral density (BMD) do not explain this risk reduction.
In a cross-sectional study, Dr. Julie A. Pasco and colleagues from the University of Melbourne, Australia, examined the association between statin use, fracture risk, and BMD in 573 women with incident fractures and 802 women without fracture. The patients were aged 50 to 95, with an average of about 70 years.

The subjects completed questionnaires regarding medication use and lifestyle factors. Univariate analysis showed an odds ratio for fracture associated with statin use of 0.40. After adjusting for BMD, the odds ratio for fracture at the femoral neck, spine, and for the whole body changed only slightly to 0.45, 0.42, and 0.43, respectively.

Also, the odds ratio for fracture was not substantially affected by adjusting for age, weight, concurrent medication and lifestyle factors, according to the researchers.

"Unless confounded by unrecognized factors, statin use is associated with substantial protection against fracture, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear," Dr. Pasco and colleagues note. "Studies focused on the effects of statins on bone architecture by histomorphometry or noninvasive techniques are needed to clarify the mechanism of action."

Arch Intern Med 2002;162;537-54

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