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Should high creatine kinase discourage the initiation or continuance of statins for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia?

Metabolism. 2009 Feb;58(2):233-8

Authors: Glueck CJ, Rawal B, Khan NA, Yeramaneni S, Goldenberg N, Wang P

Patients with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and asymptomatic high creatine kinase (CK) (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L, 10x the laboratory upper normal limit [UNL]) are often not started on statins or have statins stopped because of concern about myositis-rhabdomyolysis. In the current report, we prospectively examined the hypothesis that asymptomatic patients with high CK (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L) tolerate statins well at doses reducing LDLC to target, less than 100 mg/dL, without development of myalgia-myositis. We assessed outcomes of 3 groups of patients referred to us because of asymptomatic high CK (>or=250 but <2500 IU/L)–1 group (n = 29) on statins at referral and continued on statins, 1 group (n = 20) not on statins and started on statins, and 1 group (n = 19) not on statins and not given statins–all restudied 1 month after entry and then every 3 months. Of the 68 patients, 59 (87%) had CK greater than 1 to 3 times the UNL, 7 (10%) had CK greater than 3 to 5 times the UNL, and 2 (3%) had CK greater than 5 to 10 times the UNL. After 1.2 months of follow-up in 29 statin–>statin patients, median CK fell from 353 to 301 (P = .0018) and was 287 (P = .015) after 4 months. After 1.3 months of follow-up in 20 no statin–>statin patients, median CK fell from 397 to 292 (P = .0094) and was 419 after 4.1 months. After 1.1 months of follow-up in 19 no statin–>no statin patients, median CK fell from 392 to 323 (P = .14) and was 271 (P = .029) after 4.2 months. By repeated-measures analysis, there were no differences in entry CK among the 3 treatment groups; CK fell (P = .04) in the no statin–>no statin patients. Despite high baseline CK (48 patients with CK 1-5x the UNL, 1 with CK 5-10x UNL), no patients during follow-up on statins developed CK greater than 10 times the UNL (2500 IU/L), none discontinued statins or reduced statin dose because of myalgia-myositis, and there was no rhabdomyolysis. High pretreatment CK, particularly 1 to 5 times the UNL, should not be an impediment to start or continue statins to lower LDLC.

PMID: 19154957 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Evidence for strict inpatient blood glucose control: time to revise glycemic goals in hospitalized patients.

Metabolism. 2008 Jan;57(1):116-20

Authors: Kitabchi AE, Freire AX, Umpierrez GE

Inpatient hyperglycemia in patients with and without a history of diabetes is common and is associated with increased hospital morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this communication are to examine results of randomized clinical trials of strict inpatient glucose control in medical and surgical intensive care units and to provide guidelines for achieving and maintaining glycemic control in patients admitted to critical and noncritical settings. We propose a more conservative approach of glycemic control than current American Association of Clinical Endocrinology recommendations until results of prospective, multicenter, randomized studies become available.

PMID: 18078868 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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