Letters

laborators, there was a 9% relative reduction in mortality at- 3. Taylor F, Huffman MD, Macedo AF, et al. Statins for the primary prevention of tributable to statin use. However, when the absolute risks are cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;1:CD004816. assessed, mortality was 2.27% per year in the high-dose statin 4. Redberg RF, Katz MH. Healthy men should not take statins. JAMA. 2012;307(14):1491-1492. group compared with 2.47% per year in the low-dose statin group (control group).2 The absolute difference of 0.2% means that 500 patients will require statin treatment for 1 patient to CORRECTION derive a mortality benefit. Incorrect Description: In the Global Health article entitled “Tapeworm Infection Dr von Hippel cites a Cochrane review of statins and of the Brain,”published in the May 15, 2013, issue of JAMA (2013;309[19]:1985. doi: mortality. The Cochrane meta-analysis found a relative 10.1001/jama.2013.5880), a drug was described inaccurately.The sentence should reduction in mortality of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.79-0.94). Taking have read, “An evidence-based guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology to address controversy over the optimal therapy for parenchymal neu- the data from Table Analysis 1.1 in the article, the absolute rocysticercosis, a tapeworm infection of the central nervous system that causes mortality in the statin group was small at 4.41% vs 5.17% in seizures, advises treating patients with a combination of the anthelmintic albenda- the control patients. These absolute differences translate to zole plus a corticosteroid.” This article was corrected online. needing to treat 132 patients before 1 patient benefits from statin therapy.3 Controversy exists regarding the benefits of statins.4 Guidelines for Letters Studies of the mortality benefits are conflicting in that some Letters discussing a recent JAMA article should be submitted within 4 show very small benefits and others show none. Our recom- weeks of the article's publication in print. Letters received after 4 weeks will rarely be considered. Letters should not exceed 400 words of text mendation to patients was not to stop taking statins, but and 5 references and may have no more than 3 authors. Letters report- rather “If your physician recommends taking a statin, talk to ing original research should not exceed 600 words of text and 6 refer- him or her about the risks and benefits for your individual ences and may have no more than 5 authors. They may include up to 2 situation.” tables or figures but online supplementary material is not allowed. All letters should include a word count. Letters must not duplicate other ma- Edward H. Livingston, MD terial published or submitted for publication. Letters not meeting these Deborah T. Sugerman, MSW specifications are generally not considered. Letters being considered for publication ordinarily will be sent to the authors of the JAMA article, who Author Affiliations: JAMA, Chicago, Illinois (Livingston, Sugerman). will be given the opportunity to reply. Letters will be published at the Corresponding Author: Edward H. Livingston, MD, JAMA, 330 N Wabash, discretion of the editors and are subject to abridgement and editing. Fur- Chicago, IL 60611 ([email protected]). ther instructions can be found at http://jama.com/public Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The authors have completed and submitted /InstructionsForAuthors.aspx. A signed statement for authorship crite- the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were ria and responsibility, financial disclosure, copyright transfer, and ac- reported. knowledgment and the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Con- 1. Ray KK, Seshasai SR, Erqou S, et al. Statins and all-cause mortality in high-risk flicts of Interest are required before publication. Letters should primary prevention: a meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 65,229 participants. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(12):1024-1031. be submitted via the JAMA online submission and review system at http: //manuscripts.jama.com. For technical assistance, please contact 2. Mihaylova B, Emberson J, Blackwell L, et al; Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaborators. The effects of lowering LDL cholesterol with statin therapy [email protected]. in people at low risk of vascular disease: meta-analysis of individual data from 27 randomised trials. Lancet. 2012;380(9841):581-590. Section Editor: Jody W. Zylke, MD, Senior Editor.

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