Influence of statins treatment on survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Statins are increasingly recognized as causing muscle damage and, more rarely, peripheral neuropathy. A preliminary report that there are more cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among people treated with statins caused considerable concern. We considered the possibility that statins could affect survival in patients already diagnosed as having amyotropic lateral sclerosis who were taking statins for dyslipidemia.


METHODS
We reviewed the clinical charts of 459 patients with ALS followed-up in our clinic between 1997 and 2007. Retrieved data included age, all administered medications, form of ALS at onset and survival. We compared the survival rates of patients taking any statins with that of patients not taking statins, while adjusting for other factors which influence disease progression, such as age, gender and ALS form at onset.


RESULTS
72 patients were on statins for dyslipidemia at disease onset. The doses ranged from 10-60 mg daily and varied throughout the disease course. As expected, the patients on statins were older than the non-treated ones (65.7+/-9 versus 57.5+/-13 years, respectively). After correcting for age, gender and disease form, there was no significant difference in survival between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that statins treatment for dyslipidemia in patients with ALS does not carry any survival risks.
Drory
Vivian E
VE
Department of Neurology and ALS Clinic, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel. vdrory@post.tau.ac.il
Bronipolsky
Tatiana
T
Artamonov
Irena
I
Nefussy
Beatrice
B
D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors