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Atorvastatin Does Not Improve Liver Biochemistries or Mayo Risk Score in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

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Abstract

Statin treatment reduces hypercholesterolemia and may be anti-inflammatory. Case reports noted decreased alkaline phosphatase and histological improvement following statin treatment in primary biliary cirrhosis. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term effects of statin treatment in primary biliary cirrhosis. A retrospective analysis compared clinical and biochemical data from 15 hypercholesterolemic individuals with primary biliary cirrhosis who were treated long-term with atorvastatin with an age and gender matched, primary biliary cirrhosis control group. A significant decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (p ≤ 0.002) was observed throughout atorvastatin treatment (median time 2.5 years). LDL-cholesterol levels in the control group were not significantly changed after 2 years (p > 0.050). No significant changes were noted in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and Mayo Risk Score in either group (p > 0.05). Long-term atorvastatin treatment reduced LDL-cholesterol in primary biliary cirrhosis, but there was no evidence of any anti-inflammatory effect.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Donald Smith, M.D., Thomas D. Schiano, M.D., and Samuel Sigal, M.D., for clinical and editorial advice, and Greg Bach and Colin Quinn for assistance in data collection. This project was funded by a grant from the Artzt Family PBC Charitable Trust (Mount Sinai Division of Liver Diseases) and an NIH grant DK59653 (JAO).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1633, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Carmen M. Stanca

  2. Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1123, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Nancy Bach, Jorge Allina & Joseph A. Odin

  3. Department of Biomathematics, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1123, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Carol Bodian

  4. Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, First Avenue at 16th Street, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Henry Bodenheimer Jr.

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  1. Carmen M. Stanca
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  2. Nancy Bach
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Correspondence to Carmen M. Stanca.

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Stanca, C.M., Bach, N., Allina, J. et al. Atorvastatin Does Not Improve Liver Biochemistries or Mayo Risk Score in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. Dig Dis Sci 53, 1988–1993 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-0003-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-0003-2

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