Statins, or a day at the beach?

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Do statins really work by just raising vitamin d levels?

 

Increased levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D

after rosuvastatin treatment: a novel pleiotropic effect of statins?

 

Yavuz B, Ertugrul DT, Cil H, Ata N, Akin KO, Yalcin AA, Kucukazman M,

Dal K, Hokkaomeroglu MS, Yavuz BB, Tutal E.

 

Kecioren Teaching and Research Hospital, Department of Cardiology,

Ankara, Turkey. byavu...

 

Comment in:

 

* Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2009 Aug;23(4):261-2.

 

OBJECTIVES: Low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are associated with

higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Large trials

demonstrated that statins significantly decrease cardiovascular

morbidity and mortality. 7-dehydrocholesterol is the precursor of both

cholesterol and vitamin D. The aim of this study was to investigate

the possible effect of rosuvastatin on vitamin D metabolism. METHODS:

The study was performed in a prospective cohort design. The study

group consisted of 91 hyperlipidemic patients who had not been treated

with lipid lowering medications. Lipid parameters, 25 hydroxyvitamin-

D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and bone alkaline phosphatase were

obtained at baseline and after 8 weeks of rosuvastatin treatment.

RESULTS: None of the subjects withdrew from the study because of the

adverse effects. The mean age was 59.9 +/- 12.5 years. The majority of

the patients were male (55, 60%). Seventeen patients were diabetic,

and 43 patients had systemic hypertension. There was a significant

increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D, from mean 14.0 (range 3.7- 67) to

mean 36.3 (range 3.8 -117) ng/ml (p < 0.001), and also an increase of

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D from mean 22.9 +/- 11.2 to 26.6 +/- 9.3 pg/dl

(p = 0.023). Bone alkaline phosphatase decreased after 8 weeks of

rosuvastatin treatment, mean 17.7 (range 2.6-214) to mean 9.5 (range

2.3-19.1) u/l (p < 0.001) rosuvastatin treatment. CONCLUSION: This

study has shown an effect of rosuvastatin on vitamin D metabolism,

with an increase in both 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin

D. This may be an important pleiotropic effect whereby rosuvastatin

reduces mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. Further

studies are needed to clarify the relationship between statins and

vitamin D metabolism.

 

PMID: 19543962 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]