My legs are getting old: sinvastatin-induced polyneuropathy

Abstract

Axonal degeneration is the most common type of neuropathy induced by medication. The literature describes isolated cases in which polyneuropathy of the lower limb was observed during treatment with statins. The authors present a case of polyneuropathy associated with the use of a statin. An 82-year-old female patient presented with a complaint of weakness and discomfort in her lower limbs after 7 years of therapy with simvastatin. The results of an electromyographic study were compatible with polyneuropathy (sensorimotor axonal neuropathy--moderate to severe). One month after the therapy with simvastatin was discontinued, the symptoms were reduced.

Statins and Neuropathic Pain: A Narrative Review

“…The literature reports individual cases of neuropathy in patients taking statins [100]. Moreover, a large retrospective study relying on 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data reported that the prevalence of statin use was 15% in the general population at that time, and peripheral neuropathy was significantly more prevalent in the statin patients than those not taking statins (23.5 vs. 13.5%, respectively, p \ 0.01) [101].…”