Statins may reduce severe H1N1 death risk

NASHVILLE, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers are studying statins, drugs that lower cholesterol, as a way to reduce H1N1 virus-related deaths.

Dr. Gordon Bernard, a critical care pulmonologist, said the statins may reduce flu-related deaths in the intensive care unit by as much as half.

"We know from studying infections that it's not always the bacteria that will kill you, but your own reaction to the bacteria can deal a lethal blow. We're learning that statins have an impact on the immune system and can dampen down that deleterious component of the immune response," Bernard said in a statement.

"Statins are extraordinarily efficient at lowering cholesterol by 30 percent to 50 percent. Like so many drugs, including aspirin, it has many additional potential benefits, which were initially unrecognized."

Bernard said he hopes to enroll patients in Vanderbilt's intensive care units, who present with suspected H1N1 infection and randomize them into two groups. One group will receive the statin rosuvastatin, Crestor, every day for the duration of their hospital stay, and the other group will receive a placebo.

"Once a person with suspected H1N1 reaches the intensive care unit, their mortality can be 20 percent or higher, statins offer the potential to reduce it to 10 percent," Bernard said.