Re: study of statin myopathy with RRF/ biopsy concerns

[Guest guest]

This report raises significant concerns....

my biopsy was done and showed ragged red fibres and COX

negative..plus slight Complex1/1V deficiency....never had raised CK

levels...BUT I had been on simvastatin for 3 years before and during

the biopsy time with weakening of muscles, which resolved 3 months

after the biopsy and I stopped the statins..

The neuro didn't ask what meds I was on ..ie. statins and thyroxine..

Could therefore there be a possibility that these meds could have

affected my biopsy result even to a small degree ????

Gillian

>

>

> Statin-associated myopathy with normal creatine kinase levels.

>

>

> PS, Haas RH, Bannykh S, Hathaway S, Gray NL, Kimura BJ,

> Vladutiu GD, England JD; Scripps Mercy Clinical Research Center.

>

>

>

> BACKGROUND: Muscle symptoms in patients who are treated with

statins

> and have normal creatine kinase levels are not well understood.

>

> OBJECTIVE: To report biopsy-confirmed myopathy and normal creatine

> kinase levels associated with statin use.

>

> DESIGN: Case reports from preliminary analysis of an ongoing

> clinical trial.

>

> SETTING: Clinical research center in a community hospital.

>

> PATIENTS: Four patients with muscle symptoms that developed during

> statin therapy and reversed during placebo use.

>

> MEASUREMENTS: 1) Patients' ability to identify blinded statin

> therapy and 2) standard measures of functional capacity and muscle

> strength.

>

> RESULTS: All four patients repeatedly distinguished blinded statin

> therapy from placebo. Strength testing confirmed weakness during

> statin therapy that reversed during placebo use. Muscle biopsies

> showed evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction, including abnormally

> increased lipid stores, fibers that did not stain for cytochrome

> oxidase activity, and ragged red fibers. These findings reversed

in

> the three patients who had repeated biopsy when they were not

> receiving statins. Creatine kinase levels were normal in all four

> patients despite the presence of significant myopathy.

>

> CONCLUSION: Some patients who develop muscle symptoms while

> receiving statin therapy have demonstrable weakness and

> histopathologic findings of myopathy despite normal serum creatine

> kinase levels.

[Guest guest]

Gillian, I'm certainly not a doctor, but there does seem to be

striking parallels between your case and the patients in this study.

These researchers are well-respected, so I would expect the study

has been well-received in the scientific community and is considered

valid. If I were you, I would show the study to my doctors and ask

their opinion. Here's the citation: Ann Intern Med. 2002 Oct 1;137

(7):581-5.

Barbara

> >

> >

> > Statin-associated myopathy with normal creatine kinase levels.

> >

> >

> > PS, Haas RH, Bannykh S, Hathaway S, Gray NL, Kimura BJ,

> > Vladutiu GD, England JD; Scripps Mercy Clinical Research Center.

> >

> >

> >

> > BACKGROUND: Muscle symptoms in patients who are treated with

> statins

> > and have normal creatine kinase levels are not well understood.

> >

> > OBJECTIVE: To report biopsy-confirmed myopathy and normal

creatine

> > kinase levels associated with statin use.

> >

> > DESIGN: Case reports from preliminary analysis of an ongoing

> > clinical trial.

> >

> > SETTING: Clinical research center in a community hospital.

> >

> > PATIENTS: Four patients with muscle symptoms that developed

during

> > statin therapy and reversed during placebo use.

> >

> > MEASUREMENTS: 1) Patients' ability to identify blinded statin

> > therapy and 2) standard measures of functional capacity and

muscle

> > strength.

> >

> > RESULTS: All four patients repeatedly distinguished blinded

statin

> > therapy from placebo. Strength testing confirmed weakness during

> > statin therapy that reversed during placebo use. Muscle biopsies

> > showed evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction, including

abnormally

> > increased lipid stores, fibers that did not stain for cytochrome

> > oxidase activity, and ragged red fibers. These findings reversed

> in

> > the three patients who had repeated biopsy when they were not

> > receiving statins. Creatine kinase levels were normal in all

four

> > patients despite the presence of significant myopathy.

> >

> > CONCLUSION: Some patients who develop muscle symptoms while

> > receiving statin therapy have demonstrable weakness and

> > histopathologic findings of myopathy despite normal serum

creatine

> > kinase levels.