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High-dose simvastatin has no effect on insulin action, ectopic lipid deposition
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LDL-lowering with high-dose simvastatin did not directly improve whole-body or hepatic insulin sensitivity and intracellular lipid deposition in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.
Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which included 20 patients with type 2 diabetes. They randomly assigned patients to 80 mg simvastatin or placebo per day for eight weeks. The researchers used a comparison group of 10 healthy controls.
Patients who received high-dose simvastatin experienced a 33% reduction in plasma total cholesterol levels and 48% reduction in LDL levels (P<.005). The researchers reported no effect of simvastatin on insulin sensitivity, intracellular lipid deposition in muscle and liver or basal and insulin-suppressed endogenous glucose production.
There was a negative relationship between changes in LDL and insulin sensitivity (r=-0.796; P<.01) and changes in fasting free fatty acids and insulin sensitivity (r=-0.840; P<.01) among patients assigned to simvastatin. The researchers reported that changes in free fatty acids related positively to plasma retinol-binding protein-4 (r=.0782; P=.008).
Diabetes Care. 2009;32:209-214.
Effects of High-dose Simvastatin on Lipid
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