Statins may be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

This study was published in Drug Safety 2009;32(8):649-61

Study title and authors:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like conditions in possible association with cholesterol-lowering drugs: an analysis of patient reports to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Statin Effects Study.

Golomb BA, Kwon EK, Koperski S, Evans MA.
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0995, USA. bgolomb@ucsd.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19591530

Dr Golomb notes that cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or ALS-like conditions have arisen in apparent association with statins (and other cholesterol-lowering drugs). This study sought to find evidence whether the connection may be causal.

The study included ten patients, with either a formal or probable diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis arising in association with statin drug therapy.

The study found:
(a) All patients reported improvement of symptoms with drug discontinuation.
(b) All patients reported onset or exacerbation of symptoms with drug change, rechallenge or dose increase.

The results from the study suggest that statins (and other cholesterol-lowering drugs) may be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Statins may be implicated in neurodegenerative diseases

This post includes a summary of a paper published in Neurobiology of Aging 2010 Sep;31(9):1543-53

Study title and authors:
Mevastatin accelerates loss of synaptic proteins and neurite degeneration in aging cortical neurons in a heme-independent manner.

Kannan M, Steinert JR, Forsythe ID, Smith AG, Chernova T.

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MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18951667

Kannan investigated the effectes of statins on cultured neurons.

The study found:
(a) Statins impaired synaptic proteins.
(b) Statins reduced N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor currents (N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor currents help in memory funcion).
(c) Statins accelerated neurodegeneration associated with aging.

To conclude: Statins exert a neurotoxic effect in cultured neurons and may be implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Amyothrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington’s.

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Statins increase the risk of many cancers, neurodegenerative disorders and a myriad of infectious diseases

This post features a summary of a study published in the International Journal of Cardiology 2009 June 12;135(1):128-30

Study title and authors:                                                                                                         Books:

The double-edged sword of statin immunomodulation.

Goldstein MR, Mascitelli L, Pezzetta F.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18485499

Dr Mark Goldstein reviewed the evidence concerning statins and their effects on disease.

Dr Goldstein found:
(a) Statins may be harmful in certain segments of the population.
(b) Statins have been shown to increase the concentration of regulatory T cells (Tregs). There is evidence that this increases the risk of many cancers, particularly in the elderly.
(c) Furthermore, a statin induced increase in Tregs may be detrimental in neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and a myriad of infectious diseases. These include, but are not limited to, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and varicella zoster virus.

Dr Goldstein concludes: "These issues need our attention, and call for a heightened state of vigilance among those prescribing statins".

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Statin drugs might be harmful for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

This post contains a summary of a study published in Neurology Today 17 April 2008 - Volume 8 - Issue 8 - pp 1,9

Study title and author:
High Cholesterol Levels May Benefit ALS Patients, Study Suggests
Samson, Kurt

This study can be accessed at: http://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/Fulltext/2008/04170/High_Cholesterol_Levels_May_Benefit_ALS_Patients,.1.aspx

In the American Academy of Neurology publication Neurology Today Kurt Samson reviews a study that investigates the association of cholesterol levels with survival rates in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study included 369 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and 286 healthy individuals.

Samson's review found:
(a) Amyotrophic lateral patients with considerably higher cholesterol ratios lived, on average, one year longer than patients with lower levels.


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(b) Higher cholesterol levels may help prolong survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by warding off malnutrition and muscle wasting.
(c) The finding that high cholesterol is a prognostic factor for survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, is of great significance, and calls into question the use of cholesterol-lowering medications (statins) in these patients.
(d) Statin therapy might increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like syndrome.
(e) Raising the cholesterol levels of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients by dietary means might be beneficial.
(f) Doctors have noted the possible worsening effect of statins in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and systematically stop statin drugs in patients.
(g) By reducing low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, statins decrease nutrient availability to muscle, which might contribute to neuromuscular junction damage and motor neuron death.
(h) Multiple pathways activated by statins might be deleterious in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Hiroshi Mitsumoto, MD, the Wesley J. Howe Professor of Neurology at Columbia University and medical director of the Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Center at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City commented: "Many patients are taking statin drugs, and other experts have said the drugs might be harmful for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, so we need to look into this immediately" and "it seems to me that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients benefit more from having higher blood fat levels".

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