Key result
Statin therapy causes reversible perioral neuropathic symptoms that recur on rechallenge.
Why the study?
Perioral neuropathic symptoms as an uncommon side effect of statins have been rarely reported and require clinical recognition.
Does statin therapy cause perioral neuropathic symptoms in patients with hyperlipidaemia?
Case Report (n=1)
Does statin therapy cause perioral neuropathic symptoms in patients with hyperlipidaemia?
Statin therapy may rarely cause reversible perioral neuropathic symptoms suggestive of small-fibre neuropathy.
A male patient in his 60s, with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, presented with a sensation of dryness, itchiness, numbness and tingling around his mouth that started after taking atorvastatin, suggesting a small-fibre neuropathy related to statin use. He was prescribed statins based on increased 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (9.7%) and hyperlipidaemia. This observed side effect subsided when the medication was stopped. Evaluation was conducted to rule out other underlying aetiologies of his symptoms, and it was confirmed that the statins were the cause of the symptoms when two additional repeat statin trials, with both atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, caused similar side effects that promptly resolved within a few days of stopping the medications.
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Anis et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Hyperlipidaemia (n=1). Statins (atorvastatin and rosuvastatin) was evaluated on Perioral neuropathic symptoms. Statin therapy with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin caused reversible perioral neuropathic symptoms that resolved upon discontinuation and recurred upon rechallenge.
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