Effect of Statin Treatment in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Network Meta-Analysis

There are knowledge gaps regarding the relative efficacy of statins for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). This study aims to examine the comparative effectiveness and determine the ranking of different statins with network meta‑analysis in patients with aSAH.

MEDLINE, Embase, Pubmed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from database inception until December 15, 2022. Outcomes included delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), functional recovery, and mortality. Relative risk (RRs) ratios and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The values derived from surface under the cumulative ranking curve were obtained to rank the treatment hierarchy in the analysis.

We identified 13 trials involving 1,885 patients. Atorvastatin 20 mg (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.86), pravastatin 40 mg (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.31–0.77), and simvastatin 80 mg (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.40–0.70) were superior to the placebo in preventing DCI. Additionally, simvastatin 80 mg (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.42–0.84) and pravastatin 40 mg (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32–0.93) were associated with a decreased risk of DCI than simvastatin 40 mg. Comparisons across treatment durations suggested that short-term (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.50–0.76) statin therapy reduced risk of DCI.

Simvastatin 80 mg might be the most effective intervention in reducing DCI. Additionally, short-term therapy might provide more benefits. Further research with longer follow-up is warranted to validate the current findings in patients with aSAH who are at high risk of DCI.