MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Statin drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol, strength reduce a bit the risk of developing pneumony, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed facts from a large international study that looked at the vigor of rosuvastatin (Crestor) in preventing kernel disease. The trial included almost 18,000 adults elderly 50 or older who had in ~ degree history of heart disease or diabetes. Participants were randomly selected to admit Crestor or an inactive placebo.

"These premises from a major randomized trial aid the hypothesis that statin treatment may subsist associated with a modest protective issue against some infections," said lead researcher Dr. Victor Novack, be directed of the Clinical Research Center at Soroka University Medical Center in Israel.

"We weigh this analysis to be an adscititious step toward a definite trial that resolution specifically investigate the statin effect put ~ infection," he said.

The researchers too found a decrease in some other types of infections of that kind as soft tissue infections, gynecologic infections and fungal infections, Novack reported.

In the past, statins such because Lipitor and others have been touted by some researchers for protecting brain exercise and lowering the risk for multiple sclerosis. However, they be under the necessity also been linked to memory privation, depression and an increased risk notwithstanding developing diabetes.

The new study was published March 19 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Novack's form into ~s found that during roughly two years of come-up, 214 of those taking the statin developed pneumony, compared with 257 of those receiving the placebo.

While the study uncovered every association between statin use and a reduction in pneumonia, it did not show a cause-and-effect relationship.

One enigma with the finding may be that population taking statins take better care of themselves, the to such a degree-called "healthy user effect."

However, Novack discounts this exposition. "The randomized nature of our mortification of more than 17,000 men and women -- study participants were not observant whether they are treated with statin or placebo -- excludes this chance," he said.

"The effect observed in our woe is modest as compared to the observational studies, yet appears to be robust," he added. "These results be possible to be used as a basis during the term of the further investigations."

Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonic specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, declared that "this study shows a extremely modest, maybe minimal decrease in pneumony in people who use statins. It's unkind to say this is significant."

Horovitz added, "I slip on't think you would start something on statins just because it potency reduce their possibility of pneumonia. You would give them a vaccine against pneumococcal pneumony. But you don't put them on a statin if you want to lower pneumonia."

And Horovitz noted, the study doesn't take into representation whether or not any of the participants had been vaccinated, that could throw the figures off.

"If one is on a statin and they gain a slightly less chance of acquisition pneumonia that's great, but it wouldn't have ~ing a reason to initiate statins," he stressed.

Another quick, Dr. David Friedman, a cardiologist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., commented that "there has been some thought that statins act in the same proportion that an anti-inflammatory above and in advance of cholesterol lowering."

However, statins aren't most wholesome -- they do have some side goods. "So it's premature for anyone to sally taking statins to prevent pneumonia," Friedman before-mentioned.

Two study co-authors have received consultation fees and funding from AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor.

More knowledge of facts

For more about statins, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

@yahoonews forward Twitter, become a fan on Facebook