Background: The risk-benefit balance of statin use in healthy older people is uncertain. We describe the baseline characteristics of the STAREE (Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial, which is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among community-dwelling older people; the trial evaluated the effect of atorvastatin 40 mg for the prevention of major cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or stroke), and on disability-free survival (survival free of both dementia and persistent physical disability).

Methods and results: STAREE enrolled people aged ≥70 years from 1583 general practices across Australia with no history of clinical cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or dementia. Baseline data collected included demographic, clinical, cognitive (Modified Mini-Mental State Examination), psychological (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale), lifestyle, medical, physical, blood and urine measures, and quality of life. Demographic and clinical characteristics of study participants were then compared with publicly available landmark statin trials. A total of 9971 participants were recruited (mean±SD age 74.7±4.5 years, 4023 (40%) ≥75 years, 52% women) between July 2015 and March 2023. The mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 3.27 mmol/L (SD=0.72; 126 mg/dL). Hypertension was reported by 43% of participants and the mean blood pressure was 136/80 mm Hg. Compared with previous landmark statin trials that included primary prevention cohorts, STAREE is unique in including such a large number of older (≥75 years) independent-living people.

Conclusions: STAREE is the largest primary prevention trial of statins powered to address the important clinical outcomes of major cardiovascular events, disability-free survival, and cognition in older people. REGISTRATION: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02099123.