Objective: To assess the effects of statin therapy on motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Background: Statins, widely used for their lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory properties, have been proposed as potential disease-modifying agents in PD. However, their clinical efficacy in improving motor and non-motor symptoms remains uncertain.
Method: A meta-analysis was conducted using data from two randomized controlled trials (33449392 and 36315128) evaluating the effects of lovastatin and simvastatin on PD symptoms found on PubMed. The primary outcome was the change in the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III). Secondary outcomes included changes in UPDRS-II, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), and total cholesterol levels. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using an inverse-variance weighted random-effects model.
Results: A total of 290 participants (144 statin users, 146 placebo) were included. The pooled analysis showed a non-significant mean difference in UPDRS-III scores of -0.15 (95% CI: -0.41 to 0.12, p = 0.276), indicating no significant motor improvement with statin therapy. Similarly, no significant effects were observed for UPDRS-II (pooled mean difference: 0.06, 95% CI: -0.23 to 0.35, p = 0.69) or PDQ-39 total score (pooled mean difference: -0.32, 95% CI: -0.64 to 0.01, p = 0.06). MMSE results were inconsistent, with one study reporting no significant cognitive changes. A significant reduction in total cholesterol was observed with statin use (pooled mean difference: -1.00 mg/dL, 95% CI: -1.50 to -0.50, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Statin therapy does not appear to improve motor or non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, despite its lipid-lowering effects. These findings suggest that statins are unlikely to modify disease progression or symptom burden in PD. Further studies are needed to explore potential neuroprotective effects in specific patient subgroups.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
V. Byroju, J. Pitton Rissardo, A. Fornari Caprara. The Impact of Statin Therapy on Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-impact-of-statin-therapy-on-motor-and-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease-a-meta-analysis/. Accessed October 5, 2025.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-impact-of-statin-therapy-on-motor-and-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease-a-meta-analysis/