A meta-analysis published in July 2011 has shown an association between high-dose statin therapy and diabetes mellitus (DM) risk. The goal of the meta-analysis was to compare high-dose and low-dose statin therapies for their potential of causing new DM cases.
The meta-analysis covered five studies including 32 752 patients who had been DM free at baseline. The high-dose statin therapy was associated with two additional DM cases per 1000 patient years and with 6.5 fewer cases of cardiovascular events in comparison with low-dose statin therapy.