title: Fluvastatin increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Although several studies have reported a lower risk of osteoporotic fracture in hypercholesterolemic patients (WHO IIa) treated with statin, longitudinal studies on the effects of statins on bone are lacking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover changes induced by 3-year fluvastatin treatment in postmenopausal women. Twenty-eight consecutive postmenopausal non-diabetic, normotensive hypercholesterolemic women (64.0±3.6 years) were treated for 36 months with 30 mg/day fluvastatin and 28 non-diabetic, normotensive normocholesterolemic age- and body mass index-matched postmenopausal women served as the control subjects. The result revealed a significant increase of the BMD as compared with the level at the base line (p< 0.001) in the fluvastairn-treated group, from 6 months on ward after the start treatment. Significant differences of the BMD were found between the controls and fluvastatin-treated group (p< 0.001) were at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after the start of the study. In conclusion our results, although obtained small sample of postmenopausal hypercholesterolemic women, suggest a probable favorable effect of fluvastatin on bone formation and BMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Fukushima Rosai Hospital, Iwaki, Japan. mgotoh@r2.dion.ne.jp
authors.forename: Mituhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Michihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D007211:Indoles; D000077340:Fluvastatin