Lovastatin (Mevacor) may be associated with the onset of lupus

This study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine 1991 Aug;151(8):1667-8

 

Study title and authors:

Lovastatin-induced lupus erythematosus.

Ahmad S.

Cardio-Diagnostic Clinique, Fairmont, WVa 26554.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1872674

This paper describes two patients; a 64-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, who developed a lupuslike syndrome due to lovastatin therapy. (Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks its own cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage).

The lovastatin-induced lupus was completely reversed on withdrawal of the statin.

This suggests that lovastatin (Mevacor) may be associated with the onset of lupus.