Statins linked to higher risk of diabetes and skin infections, lower risk of prostate cancer

Statins have been reported to be beneficial for infections such as pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. In the case of skin and soft tissue infections however, statin use is ironically associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, which is a risk factor for such infections. In a British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study, statin use for as little as 91 days was linked with elevated risks of skin and soft tissue infections and diabetes. The increased risk of infection was seen in individuals who did and did not develop diabetes.

Also, in a study of cancer-free men followed for a median of seven years, statin use was associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. In the Cancer Medicine study, this association was observed only when statins had been used for a relatively long duration or at a high dose, and it was more pronounced for aggressive prostate tumors. Among 13,065 men in the study, 2,976 were diagnosed with prostate cancer over a follow-up of up to 22 years. The study was published in Cancer Medicine