NEW YORK, Feb 28: One-quarter of people taking niacin and statins as part of a four-year-long heart study dropped out early, often for medical reasons tied to niacin’s side effects, a new study suggests. Previous research hinted that niacin could boost HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, but it was unclear whether the B-vitamin would improve heart health. The full data from the new study, which included 25,000 people in Europe and China, are being presented next month at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting in San Francisco. (agencies)