Published in the January, 2014 edition of the medical journal Liver Transplantation by Y. Cho et al., an article titled “Statin therapy is associated with the development of new-onset diabetes after transplantation in liver recipients with high fasting plasma glucose levels.” provides further insight into the connection between statin therapy and new-onset diabetes. For clarity, statin drugs are a class of cholesterol-lowering medications, and including Lipitor, Crestor, and others, are among the world’s most widely-prescribed.
Cho writes “it has recently been reported that statin therapy is associated with new-onset diabetes in the nontransplant population”, and thus “The aim of this study was to investigate the association between statin therapy and the development of NODAT in LT recipients.”
Studying 364 liver transplant patients without diabetic history, some of whom used statin drugs, the team found that the rate of diabetes after transplant was nearly double in the statin group: about 32% of statin users developed diabetes, while only 17.6% of non-statin patients developed diabetes. The team also found that after adjusting for other risk factors, “Statin use was significantly associated with [new-onset diabetes after transplant]”, and importantly, confirms “There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, cumulative corticosteroid dose, or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels between the groups.”
Due to the fact that the manufacturers of statin drugs, particularly Lipitor, have failed time and again to warn users of the risk for diabetes associated with statin therapy, a number of Lipitor diabetes lawsuits have been filed.
If you or a loved one used Lipitor and suffered diabetes as a result, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of Lipitor lawyers at the information provided below. We have the experience, resources, and skills required to win the justice you deserve. Call today and see how we can help.
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Our Lipitor Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about Lipitor.