Association between statin-associated myopathy and skeletal muscle damage.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many patients taking statins often complain of muscle pain and weakness. The extent to which muscle pain reflects muscle injury is unknown.

Methods

We obtained biopsy samples from the vastus lateralis muscle of 83 patients. Of the 44 patients with clinically diagnosed statin-associated myopathy, 29 were currently taking a statin, and 15 had discontinued statin therapy before the biopsy (minimal duration of discontinuation 3 weeks). We also included 19 patients who were taking statins and had no myopathy, and 20 patients who had never taken statins and had no myopathy. We classified the muscles as injured if 2% or more of the muscle fibres in a biopsy sample showed damage. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we evaluated the expression levels of

SUBMITTER: Mohaupt MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2704421 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature