Increased frequency of microalbuminuria in patients receiving statins

Aim: It has been shown that HMG-CoA inhibitors, also called statins, may interfere with the tubular reabsorption of albumin, increasing urinary albumin excretion. Patients & methods: We have performed an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study of patients who visited their general practitioners. Results: The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 6.9% for those patients who were not taking statins versus 15.0% for those receiving statin treatment (p = 0.001; χ2-test). Odds ratio was 2.59 (without statins: 0.62; with statins: 1.48; p = 0.002). Patients treated with atorvastatin and simvastatin were compared (the number of patients taking other statins was too small): 27.1% of patients taking atorvastatin showed microalbuminuria versus 12.3% of subjects taking simvastatin (p = 0.012), the odds ratio was 0.38 (simvastatin: 0.60; atorvastatin: 1.59; p = 0.022). Logistic regression analysis showed an independent relationship between statin treatment and microalbuminuria in diabetic patients. Conclusion: Statin treatment seems to be associated with abnormal urinary albumin excretion.