title: Simvastatin increases bone mineral density in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women.
abstract: Statins are able to reduce cardiovascular morbility and mortality mainly through their hypocholesterolemic effect. Beyond the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, the identification of "ancillary" mechanisms has motivated studies evaluating the relationship between the use of statins and the modification of bone mineral density (BMD). To date, clinical trials have provided discordant results. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether simvastatin treatment (40 mg/d) could modify BMD in hypercholesterolemic women (n = 40) after a 2-year treatment as compared with a control group treated only with diet (n = 20) and matched by gender, age, body mass index (BMI), lipids, menopausal age, and BMD and the number of osteopenic, osteoporotic, and normal women (on the basis of T-score value). Exclusion criteria were secondary hyperlipemias and osteoporosis and current or previous therapy with statins, bisphosphonates, and estrogens. The BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and hip by dual energy x-ray absorpiometry (DEXA). In the group treated by simvastatin, BMD, both on the spine and femoral hip, showed a significant increase after 8 and 24 months, respectively (0.878 +/- 0.133 v 0.893 +/- 0.130 and 0.907 +/- 0.132; 0.840 +/- 0.101 v 0.854 +/- 0.101; and 0.863 +/- 0.10, P <.001); there was a percentage increase of 1.7% after 8 months and 3.3% after 24 months at the spine; at the femoral hip, BMD increased 1.6% after 8 months and 2.7% after 24 months. The group treated only with hypolipidic diet demonstrated after 8 and 24 months a slight decrease in BMD both on the spine and femoral hip (respectively, 0.884 +/- 0.175 v 0.872 +/- 0.174 and 0.861 +/- 0.164; 0.860 +/- 0.110 v 0.853 +/- 0.096 and 0.847 +/- 0.095; P <.05). In conclusion, as partly suggested by retrospective or observational data, this longitudinal study indicates that simvastatin treatment exerts a beneficial effect on BMD.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Angiology and Atherosclerosis, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Graziana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lupattelli
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Scarponi
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaudo
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siepi
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Roscini
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gemelli
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirro
authors.forename: Roberto A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sinzinger
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.forename: Elmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mannarino
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000652:urine; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D019821:Simvastatin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D006909:Hydroxyproline