Efficacy and Safety of Atorvastatin for Chronic Subdural Hematoma: an Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

IntroductionChronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurological condition, especially in the elderly population. Atorvastatin has shown the potential to reduce the recurrence of CSDH and improve overall outcomes. New studies have emerged since the last meta-analysis, increasing the sample size and the variety of outcomes analyzed.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies comparing the use of atorvastatin in CSDH patients with a control group or placebo. The primary outcome was the recurrence of CSDH. Secondary outcomes of interest were hematoma volume, composite adverse effects, mortality, and neurological function, measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and Barthel index for activities of daily living (ADL).Results7 studies, of which 2 were RCTs, were included containing 1,192 patients. Overall recurrence significantly decreased compared to the control group (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.25-0.83; p = 0.009). The benefits of atorvastatin were sustained in the subgroup analysis of patients who underwent initial conservative therapy (RR 0.40; 95% CI 0.22-0.70; p = 0.001). However, there was no significant difference when atorvastatin was combined with surgical intervention (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.21-1.32; p = 0.17). Adverse effects were not increased by atorvastatin (RR: 0.82; 95% CI 0.51-1.34; p = 0.44).ConclusionAtorvastatin might be beneficial in reducing CSDH recurrence, especially in conservative treatment patients. Atorvastatin was not significantly associated with adverse effects. Larger, higher-quality randomized studies are needed to adequately evaluate the efficacy, safety, and optimal dose of atorvastatin in CSDH patients.