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. 2016 Jun;54(1):142-4.
doi: 10.1002/mus.25127.

Absence of anti-HMG-CoA reductase autoantibodies in severe self-limited statin-related myopathy

James S Floyd  1 , Jennifer A Brody  1 , Eleni Tiniakou  2 , Bruce M Psaty  1   3   4 , Andrew Mammen  2   5
Affiliations

Absence of anti-HMG-CoA reductase autoantibodies in severe self-limited statin-related myopathy

James S Floyd et al. Muscle Nerve. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with self-limited statin-related myopathy improve spontaneously when statins are stopped. In contrast, patients with statin-associated autoimmune myopathy have autoantibodies recognizing 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and usually require immunosuppressive therapy to control their disease. On initial presentation, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between these 2 diseases, as both present with muscle pain, weakness, and elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels. The goal of this study was to determine whether patients with severe self-limited statin-related myopathy also make anti-HMGCR autoantibodies.

Methods: We screened 101 subjects with severe self-limited cerivastatin-related myopathy for anti-HMGCR autoantibodies.

Results: No patient with severe self-limited cerivastatin-related myopathy had anti-HMGCR autoantibodies.

Conclusion: Anti-HMGCR autoantibody testing can be used to help differentiate whether a patient has self-limited myopathy due to cerivastatin or autoimmune statin-associated myopathy; these findings may apply to other statins as well. Muscle Nerve 54: 142-144, 2016.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction; autoimmune; myopathy; rhabdomyolysis; statins.

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Conflict of interest statement

POTENTIAL FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BMP serves on the DSMB of a clinical trial of a device funded by the manufacturer (Zoll LifeCor) and on the Steering Committee of the Yale Open Data Access Project funded by Johnson & Johnson. ALM is co-inventor of an anti-HMGCR test that is now commercially available; however, he receives no royalties or other compensation for this.

References

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