Seventeen RCTs were included in the review with 21,303 participants (2 secondary prevention studies, 5 mixed primary- secondary prevention population studies, and 10 regression trials). Of the 21,303 participants, 10,754 received statin treatment and 10,525 received placebo.
In all studies, for all-cause mortality (n = 14), the OR was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.86) in favour of receiving statin treatment. NNT = 67.
In all studies, for fatal MI (n = 14), the OR was 0.61 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.78) in favour of receiving statin treatment. NNT = 166.
In all studies, for non-fatal MI (n = 13), the OR was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.77) in favour of receiving statin treatment. NNT = 43.
In all studies, for fatal stroke (n = 10), the OR was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.57, 1.04) which was not statistically significant. NNT = 500.
In all studies, for non-fatal stroke (n = 7), the OR was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.54, 0.88) in favour of receiving statin treatment. NNT = 143.
In all studies, for angina (n = 12), the OR was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.76) in favour of receiving statin treatment. NNT = 24.
In all studies, for withdrawals (n = 11), the OR was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.61, 1.04) which was not statistically significant. NNT not reported.
Sensitivity analyses revealed no significant differences in results.