Kaplan DE, et al. - In a large national cohort of patients with cirrhosis, researchers studied the independent effects on mortality, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma development played by hyperlipidemia and statin exposure. Study participants included patients with newly diagnosed cirrhosis in the Veterans Health Administration from January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2016. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with well-preserved hepatic function and decreased mortality in a retrospective cohort study of veterans with a new diagnosis of cirrhosis. An independent 8.0%–8.7% decrease in Child-Turcotte-Pugh Class A and B patient mortality was related to each cumulative year of statin exposure.