Are statin medications safe in patients with ALS?

Statin medications for elevated cholesterol are one of the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine if statin medications affect the rate of disease progression, the severity and frequency of muscle cramping, and serum CK levels in patients with ALS. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2008-01, Vol.9 (4), p.223-228
Main Authors: Zinman, Lorne, Sadeghi, Reza, Gawel, Marek, Patton, Dan, Kiss, Alex
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
ALSFRS-R
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - physiopathology
Anticholesteremic Agents
Contraindications
Creatine Kinase - blood
Disease Progression
Female
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle Cramp - physiopathology
muscle cramps
Prospective Studies
statins
Vital Capacity
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Summary:Statin medications for elevated cholesterol are one of the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine if statin medications affect the rate of disease progression, the severity and frequency of muscle cramping, and serum CK levels in patients with ALS. We conducted a prospective cohort study in patients diagnosed with ALS with statin medication as the predetermined exposure variable and the rate of decline of the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) as the primary outcome. One hundred and sixty-four consecutive patients with laboratory supported probable, clinically probable, or clinically definite ALS were evaluated from January 2006 to September 2007. Thirty-two patients (20%) were taking statin medications and 132 were in the control group. After adjusting for covariates, we found a highly significant increase in the rate of decline in the ALSFRS-R for the statin group (1.71 units/month) compared to the control group (1.05 units/month, p
ISSN:1748-2968
1471-180X
DOI:10.1080/17482960802031092