The impact of statin therapy on plasma levels of von Willebrand factor antigen: Systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomised placebo-controlled trials

Increased plasma levels of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) are associated with high risk of coronary artery disease. The effect of statin therapy on vWF:Ag levels remains uncertain. Therefore the aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of statin therapy on vWF:Ag Levels. A systematic multiple-database search was carried out to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of statins on plasma vWF:Ag levels. Random-effect meta-analysis of 21 treatment arms revealed a significant decrease in plasma vWF:Ag levels following statin therapy (SMD: –0.54, 95 %CI: –0.87, –0.21, p=0.001). In subgroup analyses, the greatest effect was observed with simvastatin (SMD: –1.54, 95 %CI: –2.92, –0.17, p=0.028) and pravastatin (SMD: –0.61, 95 %CI: –1.18, –0.04, p=0.035), but not with fluvastatin (SMD: –0.34, 95 %CI: –0.69, 0.02, p=0.065), atorvastatin (SMD: –0.23, 95 %CI: –0.57, 0.11, p=0.179) and rosuvastatin (SMD: –0.20, 95 % CI: –0.71, 0.30, p=0.431). The lowering effect of statins on plasma vWF:Ag levels was greater in the subset of studies lasting ≥ 12 weeks (SMD: –0.70, 95 %CI: –1.19, –0.22, p=0.005) compared with that of studies lasting