title: Rosuvastatin increases alpha-1 microglobulin urinary excretion in patients with primary dyslipidemia.
abstract: The renoprotective effect of statins has been recently disputed because of observations of proteinuria associated with rosuvastatin treatment, the newest drug of the class. Statin-induced proteinuria findings were mainly based on crudely quantitative dipstick assays. The authors quantitatively evaluated the effect of rosuvastatin at the recommended starting dose of 10 mg/d, on urine protein excretion in patients with primary dyslipidemia. Serum lipid and nonlipid parameters as well as urinary electrolyte, creatinine, and protein (total, albumin, immunoglobulin G, and alpha-1 microglobulin) levels were measured in 40 patients treated with rosuvastatin and 30 controls at baseline and after 12 weeks. The protein-to-creatinine ratios were used to assess urinary protein excretion. Rosuvastatin improved the lipid profile, produced no deterioration of kidney function, but induced a small but significant increase in the excretion of alpha-1 microglobulin (by 16%, P < .05) indicating that statin-related proteinuria involves low-molecular-weight proteins and is of proximal tubular origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 451 10 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kostapanos
authors.forename: Haralampos J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Milionis
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gazi
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kostara
authors.forename: Eleni T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Bairaktari
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium