SynthesisBMJ open2019
Association between statin use and herpes zoster: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Safety Profile of Statins: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses.European cardiology · 2026Review
- Effectiveness and Safety of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Rheumatic Diseases: Real-World Evidence from a Single-Centre Italian Cohort.Vaccines · 2025Article
- Do Statins Affect Viral Infections Encountered by International Travelers?Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2025Review
- Article
- Risk of herpes zoster in psoriasis patients receiving systemic therapies: a nationwide population-based cohort study.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Lipid homeostasis and mevalonate pathway in COVID-19: Basic concepts and potential therapeutic targets.Progress in lipid research · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveStatins are commonly prescribed worldwide. In addition to being potent lipid-lowering agents, statins have immunomodulating properties that may increase the risk of varicella zoster virus reactivation. This adverse effect may have substantial public health implications.
designWe performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to assess the association between statin use and the risk of herpes zoster infection. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases to identify studies published from 1980 to 2018. The multivariate-adjusted ORs were pooled using random-effect models, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the source of heterogeneity.
resultSix studies were analysed, with a total of more than two million participants. We determined if the use of statins might increase the risk of infection of herpes zoster (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11 to 1. 25). We detected significant heterogeneity (I
conclusionThe use of statins may increase the risk of herpes zoster infection. Because the studies included are limited and there may be potential bias, further studies are warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.