Statins and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors are Associated with Reduced Mortality and Morbidity in Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a common response to many chronic liver diseases. The aim of our study was to explore whether pharmacotherapy for concurrent diseases affects overall mortality, liver-related mortality and liver-related morbidity in patients with chronic liver disease. We performed a register-based cohort study of all patients with a first-time diagnosis of chronic liver disease between 2005 and 2012 in Sweden (n = 70 546). Data from the Patient Register, the Prescribed Drug Register and the Death Certificate Register were linked. We studied whether the use of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and antibiotics affected the risk of total mortality, liver-specific mortality and morbidity. We found a reduction in mortality risk for statin users (n = 11,245) with hazard ratios from 0.57 (95% CI: 0.32–0.99) for patients with autoimmune hepatitis to 0.84 (95% CI: 0.75–0.95) for patients with alcoholic liver disease. There was a significantly reduced liver-related mortality for patients with alcoholic liver disease who used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, 0.85 (95% CI: 0.65–0.96). There were increased overall mortality risks for antibiotic users (n = 44,572), with hazard ratios up to 1.67 (95% CI, 1.55–1.80) for viral hepatitis. Statin use was associated with decreased risks of liver-specific mortality and morbidity, and reduced total mortality foremost among patients with alcoholic liver disease. Angiotensin -converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with reduced liver-related mortality among patients with alcoholic liver disease.