The use of a statin may be associated with the occurrence of polymyalgia rheumatica

This study was published in PLoS One 2012;7(7):e41289

Study title and authors:
Statin-associated polymyalgia rheumatica. An analysis using WHO global individual case safety database: a case/non-case approach.

de Jong HJ, Saldi SR, Klungel OH, Vandebriel RJ, Souverein PC, Meyboom RH, Passier JL, van Loveren H, Cohen Tervaert JW.
Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22844450

Polymyalgia rheumatica is a condition that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips.

 

The objective of the study was to assess whether there is an association between statin use and the occurrence of polymyalgia rheumatica in the spontaneous reporting database of the World Health Organisation. The study was conducted on a case/non-case basis on individual case safety reports in the WHO global individual case safety reports database (VigiBase). Case reports containing the adverse event term polymyalgia rheumatic were defined as cases. Non-cases were all case reports containing other adverse event terms.

The study found that statin were 1,321% more frequently reported as the suspected cause of polymyalgia rheumatica compared to non-cases.

de Jong concluded: "The results of this study lends support to previous anecdotal case reports in the literature suggesting that the use of a statin may be associated with the occurrence of polymyalgia rheumatic".

 

  

Links to other studies:

Statin use linked to musculoskeletal diseases, joint pain and injuries

Statins increase the risk of chronic muscle diseases by 286%

Statins are associated with an approximate doubling of the risk of muscle disease