Lipid lowering drugs prescription and the risk of peripheral neuropathy: an exploratory case-control study using automated databases.

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Abstract from J Epidemiol Community Health. 2004 Dec;58(12):1047-1051.

Lipid lowering drugs prescription and the risk of peripheral neuropathy:

an exploratory case-control study using automated databases.

Corrao G, Zambon A, Bertu L, Botteri E, Leoni O, Contiero P.

Dipartimento di Statistica, Universita degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca,

Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi, 8, Edificio U7, 20126 Milano, Italy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although lipid lowering drugs are effective in

preventing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular events, the

extent of their adverse effects is not clear. This study explored the

association between prescription of lipid lowering drugs and the risk of

peripheral neuropathy.

DESIGN: A population based case-control study was carried out by linkage

of several automated databases.

SETTING: Resident population of a northern Italian Province aged 40

years or more.

PARTICIPANTS: Cases were patients discharged for peripheral neuropathy

in 1998-1999. For each case up to 20 controls were randomly selected

among those eligible. Altogether 2040 case patients and 36 041 controls

were included in the study.Exposure ascertainment: Prescription drug

database was used to assess exposure to lipid lowering drugs at any time

in the one year period preceding the index date.Analysis: Conditional

logistic regression model for matched data was used to estimate the risk

of peripheral neuropathy associated with exposure to statins, fibrates,

and other lipid lowering drugs. MAIN RESULTS: Weak but significant

effects of lipid lowering drugs as a whole (matched odds ratio: 1.27;

95% confidence intervals: 1.05 to 1.55), statins (1.19; 1.00 to 1.40),

and fibrates (1.49; 1.03 to 2.17) were observed. Significant linear

trends towards increased risk at increased exposure to both statins and

fibrates were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of both statins and fibrates was associated with

the risk of peripheral neuropathy. The primary purpose of this

exploratory study is signal generation. This requires further

investigations to evaluate the causal role of lipid lowering drugs on

the onset of peripheral neuropathy.