Meta-analysis of patients taking statins before revascularization and aortic valve surgery

Statin intake before cardiac surgery is associated with favorable outcomes. We sought to analyze the evidence for statin pretreatment before isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery and aortic valve replacement surgery. In this meta-analysis, we demonstrate beneficial results for the endpoints mortality, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and length of stay in hospital in 36,053 statin-pretreated coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients compared with control subjects retrieved from 32 studies, but fail to detect relevant advantages through preoperative statin therapy for 3,091 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement from four trials. Strict adherence to guidelines recommending statin treatment before CABG surgery is therefore mandatory.