Skip to main content
Advertisement
  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Specialty Sites
    • COVID-19
    • Practice Current
    • Practice Buzz
    • Without Borders
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
  • Collections
    • Topics A-Z
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Infographics
    • Patient Pages
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center

Advanced Search

Main menu

  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Specialty Sites
    • COVID-19
    • Practice Current
    • Practice Buzz
    • Without Borders
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
  • Collections
    • Topics A-Z
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Infographics
    • Patient Pages
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Neurology
Home
The most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal
  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in
Site Logo
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

Share

April 30, 2019; 92 (18) Null Hypothesis

Statins do not increase risk of polyneuropathy

A case-control study and literature review

Janna K. Warendorf, Alexander F.J.E. Vrancken, Ruben P.A. van Eijk, Nora A. Visser, Leonard H. van den Berg, Nicolette C. Notermans
First published February 8, 2019, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000007148
Janna K. Warendorf
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Alexander F.J.E. Vrancken
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ruben P.A. van Eijk
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Nora A. Visser
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Leonard H. van den Berg
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Nicolette C. Notermans
From the UMC Utrecht Brain Center (J.K.W., A.F.J.E.V., N.A.V., L.H.v.d.B., N.C.N.), Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht; and Biostatistics & Research Support (R.P.A.v.E.), Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Full PDF
Short Form
Citation
Statins do not increase risk of polyneuropathy
A case-control study and literature review
Janna K. Warendorf, Alexander F.J.E. Vrancken, Ruben P.A. van Eijk, Nora A. Visser, Leonard H. van den Berg, Nicolette C. Notermans
Neurology Apr 2019, 92 (18) e2136-e2144; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007148

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Permissions

Make Comment

See Comments

Downloads
4786

Share

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
Loading

Abstract

Objective To investigate whether there is an association between cholesterol-lowering medication use, specifically statins, and chronic polyneuropathy.

Methods A literature study was carried out to assess the current state of evidence on the association between chronic polyneuropathy and cholesterol-lowering medication use. We also conducted a prospective case-control study to compare exposure to cholesterol-lowering medication between patients with cryptogenic axonal polyneuropathy and controls prior to the index date (defined in patients as date of onset of polyneuropathy symptoms, in controls as date of first study survey). Outcomes were adjusted for potential confounders such as cardiovascular history and metabolic syndrome.

Results The 13 studies identified in our literature search showed conflicting results (odds ratios [ORs] ranging from 0.66 to 14.2), but most studies had methodologic limitations. There was insufficient evidence that statin use is a risk factor for polyneuropathy. Our prospective case-control study included 333 patients with cryptogenic axonal polyneuropathy and 283 controls. Patients with polyneuropathy were less likely to have been exposed to statins than controls (OR 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.34–0.95, p = 0.03). The odds of polyneuropathy decreased as exposure duration to statins increased. Cholesterol-lowering medication consisted almost exclusively of statins; therefore we only draw conclusions on the effect of statin use.

Conclusions Statin use does not increase the risk of chronic polyneuropathy. Therefore, statins should not be routinely withheld from polyneuropathy patients.

Classification of evidence This study provides Class III evidence that statin use does not increase the risk of polyneuropathy.

Glossary

ATP-III=
Adult Treatment Panel III;
BMI=
body mass index;
CI=
confidence interval;
DDD=
defined daily dosage;
ICD=
International Classification of Diseases;
OR=
odds ratio;
PAN=
population-based amyotrophic lateral sclerosis study in the Netherlands;
UMCU=
University Medical Center Utrecht

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • Class of Evidence: NPub.org/coe

  • Received July 20, 2018.
  • Accepted in final form December 17, 2018.
  • © 2019 American Academy of Neurology
View Full Text

Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence

No comments have been published for this article.
Comment

NOTE: All authors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.

  • Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within the last 8 weeks.
  • Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
  • 200 words maximum.
  • 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
  • 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
  • Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.

More guidelines and information on Disputes & Debates

Compose Comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Author Information
NOTE: The first author must also be the corresponding author of the comment.
First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'.
Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'.
Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com
Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'.
Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.
Publishing Agreement
NOTE: All authors, besides the first/corresponding author, must complete a separate Disputes & Debates Submission Form and provide via email to the editorial office before comments can be posted.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Vertical Tabs

You May Also be Interested in

Back to top
  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Glossary
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Study funding
    • Disclosure
    • Appendix Authors
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
Advertisement

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.

Topics Discussed

  • Case control studies
  • Peripheral neuropathy

Alert Me

  • Alert me when eletters are published
Neurology: 96 (8)

Articles

  • Ahead of Print
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Popular Articles
  • Translations

About

  • About the Journals
  • Ethics Policies
  • Editors & Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Submit

  • Author Center
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Information for Reviewers
  • AAN Guidelines
  • Permissions

Subscribers

  • Subscribe
  • Activate a Subscription
  • Sign up for eAlerts
  • RSS Feed
Site Logo
  • Visit neurology Template on Facebook
  • Follow neurology Template on Twitter
  • Visit Neurology on YouTube
  • Neurology
  • Neurology: Clinical Practice
  • Neurology: Genetics
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • AAN.com
  • AANnews
  • Continuum
  • Brain & Life
  • Neurology Today

Wolters Kluwer Logo

Neurology | Print ISSN:0028-3878
Online ISSN:1526-632X

© 2021 American Academy of Neurology

  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise