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. 2015 Sep 17:8:449.
doi: 10.1186/s13104-015-1356-9.

Do women with statin-related myalgias have low vitamin D levels?

Margo Minissian  1 , Megha Agarwal  2 , Chrisandra Shufelt  3 , Puja K Mehta  4 , Talya Waldman  5 , Greg Lentz  6 , Galen Cook-Wiens  7 , Jo-Ann Eastwood  8 , C Noel Bairey Merz  9
Affiliations

Do women with statin-related myalgias have low vitamin D levels?

Margo Minissian et al. BMC Res Notes. .

Abstract

Background: Statin intolerance is often due to myalgias. Severe vitamin D deficiency is characterized by musculoskeletal pain. We hypothesized that statin-intolerance is associated with vitamin D deficiency.

Objectives: To determine whether there is an association between statin-intolerance and vitamin D deficiency in a retrospective observational analysis.

Methods: We evaluated 20 female patients with prior myalgia-related daily dose statin intolerance on an alternative day statin dosing protocol of twice weekly for 4 weeks followed by advancement to daily dosing, as tolerated. Fasting baseline and follow-up lipid and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OHD) levels were obtained by chart review.

Results: The group median age was 61 ± 13 years old and BMI was 27 ± 7 kg/m(2). Women who remained on alternative day statin dosing (n = 16) compared to women on daily dosing (n = 4) had a significantly lower group mean 25-OHD (mean 29 ± 11.23 vs. 47.5 ± 23.53 ng/ml p = 0.0307 respectively).

Conclusions: In women with prior myalgia-related statin intolerance, vitamin D levels were significantly lower in women who remained on alternative day dosing compared to those who were tolerant of daily dosing.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prescribed dosing of statins used
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Vitamin D levels in alternative dosing vs. daily dosing in patients with statin-related myalgias
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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