Resolution of statin-induced myalgia by correcting vitamin D deficiency: a case report

Abstract

The onset of myalgia is a well-known side effect of cholesterol-lowering statins. Recent studiesa dvanced the hypothesis that reduced vitamin D levels may play a role in the onset of myalgia in statin users and potentially a vitamin D supplementation may be useful in these cases, as suggested by the present case report.

A 52-year-old man with a history of smoke and successfully controlled hypertension presented with chest pain and asthenia. He was diagnosed with stable angina pectoris and discharged on atorvastatin. Due to the onset of myalgia, the dosage of atorvastatin was reduced (from 40 mg daily to 20 mg daily) and then atorvastatin was switched to rosuvastatin without symptoms improvement. Switching from rosuvastatin to ezetimibe resulted in pain improvement, but also in plasma lipids increase beyond the normal range. Ezetimibe was switched to rosuvastatin+ analgesic; in the meanwhile a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed low levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and 1-25-dihydroxy-vitamin D. Therefore, vitamin D3 was added to rosuvastatin, resulting in pain improvement, decrease of plasma lipids and progressive discontinuation of analgesics. During the follow-up, rosuvastatin was switched to atorvastatin + vitamin D3, with a good control of plasma lipid levels and without the onset of myalgia.