A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Safety and Efficacy of Rosuvastatin as an Adjunctive Therapy in Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severely impact patient health, and current treatments often fail to adequately control inflammation and lung function decline. Statins have shown potential in managing AECOPD. This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of rosuvastatin, aiming to provide precise treatment recommendations. Using "Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive" and "Rosuvastatin Calcium" as MeSH terms, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin in AECOPD patients were retrieved from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Sinomed, CNKI, WanFang Data, and QIVIP. The search period extended through September 15, 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software, while sensitivity analyses and publication bias tests were conducted with Stata 17.0. Eleven RCTs involving 911 patients were included, with a certain risk of bias. Rosuvastatin was found to improve forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Additionally, it significantly reduced levels of hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, NE, and Gal-3. Despite the limited number of studies and potential bias, evidence suggests that rosuvastatin improves lung function and reduces inflammation in AECOPD, underscoring its potential value and emphasizing the need for further high-quality research.