Statins double the risk of lupus

This study was published in Seminars in Arthritis Rheumatism 2011 Dec;41(3):373-81

Study title and authors:
Association between statin use and lupus-like syndrome using spontaneous reports.

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

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21868063

The study assessed whether there was an association between statin use and the occurrence of lupus-like syndrome. The study included 3,362 reports of lupus-like syndrome.

The study found that statin use was associated with a 101% increase in the reporting of lupus-like syndrome.

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Low cholesterol associated with hepatitis C related liver cancer

This study was published in the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association Journal 2010 Nov;12(9):625-36

 

Study title and authors:

Evidence of aberrant lipid metabolism in hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Wu JM, Skill NJ, Maluccio MA.

Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. jw17@iupui.edu

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20961371

The association of cholesterol levels with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) was assessed in 73 patients with HCV-associated cirrhosis and cancer and 103 normal controls.

The study found that the cholesterol levels of the patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV-related liver cancer were 19% lower than the normal controls.

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Statins are associated with erectile dysfunction

This study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine 2010 Apr;7(4 Pt 1):1547-56

Study title and authors:
The effect of statin therapy on testosterone levels in subjects consulting for erectile dysfunction.

Corona G, Boddi V, Balercia G, Rastrelli G, De Vita G, Sforza A, Forti G, Mannucci E, Maggi M.
Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence Italy.

This post can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20141585

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between statin therapy and erectile dysfunction. The study included 3,484 patients with erectile dysfunction, average age 51.6 years.

The study found:
(a) Both total and calculated free testosterone levels were significantly lower in subjects taking statins.
(b) Statin use was associated with a reduced testis volume.
(c) Statin use was associated with a higher prevalence of hypogonadism-related symptoms. (Hypogonadism is where the sex glands produce little or no hormones).

The data from the study reveals that statins are associated with erectile dysfunction.

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Statins increase the risk of lupus by 67%

This study was published in Lupus 2012 Jul;21(8):885-9

 

Study title and authors:

Statin-induced lupus: a case/non-case study in a nationwide pharmacovigilance database.

Moulis G, Béné J, Sommet A, Sailler L, Lapeyre-Mestre M, Montastruc JL; French Association of PharmacoVigilance Centres.

CHU Toulouse, Service de Médecine Interne, Toulouse, F-31059, France. guillaume.moulis@univ-tlse3.fr

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22333565

The study examined the relationship between statins and lupus. Data from 235,147 adverse drug reports were analysed by the investigators.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs.

The study found that exposure to statins was associated with a 67% increased risk of lupus.

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Low cholesterol associated with depression in elderly men

This study was published in the Lancet 1993 Jan 9;341(8837):75-9

Study title and authors:
Plasma cholesterol and depressive symptoms in older men.
Morgan RE, Palinkas LA, Barrett-Connor EL, Wingard DL.
Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0628.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8093404

The study investigated the relationship between depressive illness and low cholesterol levels in 1,020 elderly men.

The study found that among men aged 70 years and older, depression was three times more common in the group with low cholesterol levels (less than 4.14 mmol/L or 160 mg/dL) than in those with higher concentrations.
 
Morgan concluded: "Our finding that low plasma cholesterol is associated with depressive symptoms in elderly men is compatible with observations that a very low total cholesterol may be related to suicide and violent death".

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Statins reduce libido

This paper was published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2004 Sep;58(3):326-8

 

Study title and authors:

Is decreased libido associated with the use of HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors?

de Graaf L, Brouwers AH, Diemont WL.

Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. l.degraaf@lareb.nl

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15327593

The aim of the paper was to describe patients with decreased libido during use of statins, and to propose a hypothesis for this association. The paper discusses eight patients who had decreased libido during use of statins.

Testosterone levels were measured in two of the patients and were found to be decreased during statin treatment. The patients discountinued their statin treatment and their libido returned to normal.

The relationship between libido, cholesterol and statins:
(i) Libido is related to serum testosterone levels: lower testosterone levels decrease male libido.
(ii) Cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of testosterone.
(iii) Statins lower cholesterol.

The reports of the patients and the suggested explanation generate the hypothesis that decreased libido may be associated with the use of statins.

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Saturated fat consumption is associated with a reduced risk of stroke

This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association 1997 Dec 24-31;278(24):2145-50

Study title and authors:

Inverse association of dietary fat with development of ischemic stroke in men.
Gillman MW, Cupples LA, Millen BE, Ellison RC, Wolf PA.
Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9417007

 

The objective of the study was to examine the association of stroke incidence with the intake of fat and type of fat among middle-aged men. The study included 832 men, aged 45 to 65 years who were followed for 20 years.

 

The study found:

(a) For every 3% increase in fat consumption the men had a 15% reduced risk of stroke.

(b) For every 1% increase in saturated fat consumption the men had a 9% reduced risk of stroke.

 

The study reveals that total fat and saturated fat consumption are associated with a reduced risk of stroke in men.

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