Statins increase the risk of hospital acquired thrombocytopenia in heart attack patients

This study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology 2005 Aug 15;96(4):474-81

Study title and authors:
Impact of in-hospital acquired thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

Nikolsky E, Sadeghi HM, Effron MB, Mehran R, Lansky AJ, Na Y, Cox DA, Garcia E, Tcheng JE, Griffin JJ, Stuckey TD, Turco M, Carroll JD, Grines CL, Stone GW.
Columbia University Medical Center and Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16098296

Thrombocytopenia is the term for a reduced platelet (thrombocyte) count. Platelets are tiny cells that circulate in the blood and whose function is to take part in the clotting process. Platelets are essential in the formation of blood clots to prevent haemorrhage - bleeding from a ruptured blood vessel. An adequate number of normally functioning platelets is also needed to prevent leakage of red blood cells from apparently uninjured vessels.

Percutaneous coronary intervention is a coronary revascularisation technique used in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease. Percutaneous coronary intervention involves non-surgical widening of the coronary artery, using a balloon catheter to dilate the artery from within. A metallic stent is usually placed in the artery after dilatation.

The study investigated the influence of statins on the incidence and prognostic significance of hospital acquired thrombocytopenia, in patients with a heart attack who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. The study included 1,975 patients who received balloon angioplasty.

The study found:
(a) Those who used statins had a 228% increased risk of developing hospital acquired thrombocytopenia compared to those who did not use statins.
(b) Those who developed hospital acquired thrombocytopenia had a 270% higher in-hospital rates of major hemorrhagic complications
(c) Those who developed hospital acquired thrombocytopenia had a 156% greater requirement for blood transfusions.
(d) Those who developed hospital acquired thrombocytopenia had a 33% longer hospital stay.
(e) Those who developed hospital acquired thrombocytopenia had a 400% increased risk of death after 30 days.
(f) Those who developed hospital acquired thrombocytopenia had a 156% increased risk of death after one year.