"Statin Use Prevents Cerebrovascular Disease and Mortality in Moyamoya Disease Patients"

Yongin Severance Professors Yoon Junsang and Kim Jinkwon Team

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has found that taking the cholesterol-lowering drug 'statins' helps prevent cerebrovascular disease occurrence and death in patients with Moyamoya disease.

Professor Yoon Joon-sang (left) and Professor Kim Jin-kwon, Department of Neurology, Yongin Severance Hospital.

The neurology research team led by Professors Yoo Joon-sang and Kim Jin-kwon at Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital tracked and observed over 13,000 Moyamoya disease patients and confirmed these findings, the team announced on the 6th. The research paper was published in the recent issue of the SCI-level international journal Stroke and Vascular Neurology (IF 9.893).

Moyamoya disease is a rare, intractable disorder characterized by abnormal narrowing at the ends of both internal carotid arteries, leading to the development of small and immature cerebral blood vessels, which can result in cerebral infarction and hemorrhage. It occurs rarely, mainly among East Asians, and no clear drug treatment methods have been identified aside from surgical treatment.

The research team conducted the study to determine whether using statins in Moyamoya disease patients could reduce the incidence of cerebrovascular disease or mortality. For this purpose, they tracked 13,373 patients newly diagnosed with Moyamoya disease between 2009 and 2021.

During the study period, 631 cases of stroke, including cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction, and 237 deaths were confirmed. To minimize errors that could occur in observational studies, the team adjusted for variables such as age, sex, presence of stroke at diagnosis, and whether cerebrovascular surgery was performed. As a result, the statin-taking group showed about a 26% lower risk of cerebrovascular disease and death compared to the non-statin group. Analyses subdividing each variable into subgroups also showed that statin use was generally associated with a lower risk of cerebrovascular disease and death.

Not all Moyamoya disease patients require surgery, and generally, drug treatments aimed at alleviating symptoms and protecting the brain are recommended. However, no drug treatment method with clear effectiveness had been known until now. This study is significant in that it is the first to identify a drug that helps prevent cerebrovascular disease occurrence and death in Moyamoya disease patients. Furthermore, given that the current statin usage rate among Moyamoya disease patients is below 30%, it is expected that more active recommendations for statin use can be made.

Professor Yoo Joon-sang said, "Through this study, we confirmed that statin use in Moyamoya disease patients, who previously had no clear drug treatment methods, is effective in preventing cerebrovascular disease," adding, "We plan to continue relentless research to overcome neurological diseases in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.