Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin for Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Korean Cohort Study.

Background

Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin are indicated for cardiovascular protection in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) but may differ in clinical effectiveness and safety. This study compared real-world cardiovascular and safety outcomes associated with rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin in patients with T2D, with an emphasis on older adults.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from 10 Korean hospitals standardized to the Common Data Model. Adults (≥18 years) with T2D who were newly prescribed rosuvastatin or atorvastatin were included. After propensity score matching, primary outcomes (myocardial infarction [MI], heart failure, stroke, cardiac arrest, and in-hospital death), secondary outcomes (peripheral arterial disease [PAD] and glaucoma), and safety outcomes (acute kidney injury, cataract, and myalgia) were compared. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted among patients aged ≥65 years.

Results

Among 49,034 patients (rosuvastatin, 16,123; atorvastatin, 32,911), baseline characteristics were well balanced. Across all participating hospitals, the comparative analyses showed no meaningful differences in cardiovascular or safety outcomes between the two statins. However, among patients aged ≥65 years, rosuvastatin was associated with a higher risk of PAD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.38), and this finding was consistent in sensitivity analysis (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.01-1.70).

Conclusions

Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin demonstrated comparable cardiovascular effectiveness and safety. Although rosuvastatin was associated with a modestly higher incidence of PAD in older adults, the difference was small. From a clinical perspective, these findings underscore the importance of individualized statin therapy tailored to patient-specific factors such as age, comorbidity, and vascular health. Overall, both statins provide overall therapeutic equivalence for cardiovascular prevention.