Pravastatin-associated myopathy. Report of a case
Scalvini, T.; Marocolo, D.; Cerudelli, B.; Sleiman, I.; Balestrieri, G.P.; Giustina, G.
Recenti Progressi in Medicina 86(5): 198-200
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-1193 PMID: 7604176 Document Number: 444338
A case of acute inflammatory myopathy associated with the use of pravastatin, a new hydrophilic 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutaril coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, is reported. The patient, a 69-year-old man was affected by non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hypertension. He assumed pravastatin (20 mg/day) because of hypercholesterolemia. He was admitted with acute myopathy of the lower limbs which resolved in a few days after pravastatin discontinuation. A previously unknown hypothyroidism, probably due to chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, was evidenced. Muscle biopsy (left gastrocnemius) revealed a perimysial and endomysial inflammatory infiltrate with a prevalence of CD4+ lymphocytes. While lovastatin and simvastatin have been associated with toxic myopathy, pravastatin-associated myopathy could represent a distinct, inflammatory entity.