title: Myotoxicity of lipid-lowering agents in a teenager with MELAS mutation.
abstract: The use of lipid-lowering statins has been associated with raised serum muscle enzymes and, occasionally, with rhabdomyolysis, especially in patients with pre-existing metabolic myopathies. The A3243G mutation is one of the most common mutations associated with mitochondrial disorders. A teenager harboring the A3243G mutation had the unusual association of hereditary glomerulopathy and recurrent episodes of raised creatine kinase levels with the use of lipid-lowering agents. Muscle biopsy showed both normal respiratory chain enzyme activities and normal coenzyme Q(10) levels, although decreased muscle coenzyme Q(10) concentration had been postulated to have a pathogenic role in statin-related myopathies. The close temporal relationship of statin administration and raised creatine kinase levels in this patient suggests caution in the use of statins in children and teenagers with mitochondrial myopathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. stacey@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Stacey K H
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimauro
authors.forename: Aileen Y W
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Poh-San
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Hui-Kim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yap
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017241:MELAS Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D008148:Lovastatin; D003402:Creatine Kinase