Key result
Statin-treated patients show a ~44% prevalence of confirmed peripheral neuropathy, strongly linked to atorvastatin dose.
Why the study?
Although concerns regarding peripheral neuropathy as a possible neurological adverse effect of statins have been reported, available evidence on this association remains inconsistent.
Cross-Sectional (n=100)
No
In this single-center cross-sectional study in India, 44% of patients on statin therapy had nerve conduction velocity-confirmed peripheral neuropathy, highlighting the need for neurological evaluation in statin-treated patients while noting that causality cannot be established.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Neurological symptom evaluation remains prudent in statin users; leaves open dose-dependent causality from this unadjusted cross-sectional study.
Background: Statins are widely prescribed for dyslipidaemia and the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Although their cardiovascular benefits are well established, concerns regarding possible neurological adverse effects, including peripheral neuropathy, have been reported. However, the available evidence regarding this association remains inconsistent.Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among patients receiving statin therapy and examine its association with sociodemographic, clinical, biochemical and treatment-related characteristics.Methods: A hospital-based observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, from June 2023 to December 2024. A total of 100 patients aged 30 years or older who had received statin therapy for more than one month were recruited through consecutive sampling. Data were collected using a pretested, semi-structured schedule. Clinical assessment, laboratory investigations and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing were performed. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent-samples t-tests and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results: The mean age of participants was 56.23 ± 12.55 years, and 68% were male. Numbness of the lower limbs was the most frequently reported symptom (58%), followed by tingling sensations (42%), body ache (38%) and burning sensations in the feet (36%). Peripheral neuropathy was confirmed in 44% of participants by NCV testing. Significant associations were reported between neuropathy and age, sex, socioeconomic status, treatment regimen, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and haemoglobin levels. Age demonstrated an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.887, while atorvastatin dose demonstrated an AUC of 0.902.Conclusion: Peripheral neuropathy was frequently identified among statin-treated patients attending this tertiary care hospital. The findings support careful clinical assessment of neurological symptoms and further investigation of potential risk factors. The cross-sectional design does not establish that statin therapy caused the observed neuropathy.
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Manna et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Dyslipidaemia on statin therapy (n=100). Statin therapy (atorvastatin monotherapy or atorvastatin plus fenofibrate) was evaluated on Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy confirmed by nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing (95% CI 34.7%-53.8%). Statin-treated patients had a 44% prevalence of NCV-confirmed peripheral neuropathy, with atorvastatin dose showing an AUC of 0.902.
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