title: Should high creatine kinase discourage the initiation or continuance of statins for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia?
abstract: Patients with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and asymptomatic high creatine kinase (CK) (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L, 10x the laboratory upper normal limit [UNL]) are often not started on statins or have statins stopped because of concern about myositis-rhabdomyolysis. In the current report, we prospectively examined the hypothesis that asymptomatic patients with high CK (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L) tolerate statins well at doses reducing LDLC to target, less than 100 mg/dL, without development of myalgia-myositis. We assessed outcomes of 3 groups of patients referred to us because of asymptomatic high CK (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L)--1 group (n = 29) on statins at referral and continued on statins, 1 group (n = 20) not on statins and started on statins, and 1 group (n = 19) not on statins and not given statins--all restudied 1 month after entry and then every 3 months. Of the 68 patients, 59 (87%) had CK greater than 1 to 3 times the UNL, 7 (10%) had CK greater than 3 to 5 times the UNL, and 2 (3%) had CK greater than 5 to 10 times the UNL. After 1.2 months of follow-up in 29 statin-->statin patients, median CK fell from 353 to 301 (P = .0018) and was 287 (P = .015) after 4 months. After 1.3 months of follow-up in 20 no statin-->statin patients, median CK fell from 397 to 292 (P = .0094) and was 419 after 4.1 months. After 1.1 months of follow-up in 19 no statin-->no statin patients, median CK fell from 392 to 323 (P = .14) and was 271 (P = .029) after 4.2 months. By repeated-measures analysis, there were no differences in entry CK among the 3 treatment groups; CK fell (P = .04) in the no statin-->no statin patients. Despite high baseline CK (48 patients with CK 1-5x the UNL, 1 with CK 5-10x UNL), no patients during follow-up on statins developed CK greater than 10 times the UNL (2500 IU/L), none discontinued statins or reduced statin dose because of myalgia-myositis, and there was no rhabdomyolysis. High pretreatment CK, particularly 1 to 5 times the UNL, should not be an impediment to start or continue statins to lower LDLC.
authors.affiliation: Cholesterol Center, Jewish Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. glueckch@healthall.com
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Glueck
authors.forename: Bishal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rawal
authors.forename: Naseer Ahmed
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Samrat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yeramaneni
authors.forename: Naila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D008148:Lovastatin; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D017035:Pravastatin