statin drugs in place of riba

I read that there has been a study done that suggests that statin drugs such as lescol may be as or more effective than riba for tx when combined with interferon. The study was done early this year.
Has anyone heard more on this. It would certainly lessen side effects

[GrandOak]

I haven't heard anything about this.  But I have seen trial information on Tribavirin which is used like Ribavirin for influenza and appears to have less anemia side effects that it's Riba cousin.

[willows]

I read a study like that also.  But statins are killer-hard for your liver to take, so it's like one step forward, two steps back.  I think they may be tried for folks with little or no damage, but those of us with beat-up broke-down livers may never get to try statins.  The thought is very exciting tho, I'm trying to follow the idea myself.

Willow

[traveler65]

If it is more effective than riba, why is it not being used. The side effects have to be less.

[PhoenixFawks]

A news release regarding the study results of which you speak, can be found here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46747

The findings were published in the July 2006 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

In part, the research indicates that:

"The researchers determined that the anti-HCV activities of statins were not related to cytotoxicity, meaning they did not kill the host cell. Additional experiments also suggested that, "the statins possess the ability to inhibit the replication of HCV RNA via a specific antiviral mechanism," the authors report."

"The researchers tested the theory that certain proteins are required for HCV RNA replication and that statins block the replication by inhibiting those proteins. In support of this theory, they found that the addition of both mevalonate and geranylgeraniol restored HCV RNA replication in the statin-treated cells."

"To evaluate statins as potential replacements for ribavirin in combination therapy, the researchers tested the anti-HCV activities of each one when combined with interferon. Each combination, except the one including pravastatin, had even stronger inhibitory effects on HCV RNA replication than when the statin was used alone. Again, fluvastatin plus interferon exhibited the strongest effect. "We clearly demonstrated that co-treatment of interferon and fluvastatin was an overwhelmingly effective treatment," the authors report. This combined therapy was more effective against HCV RNA replication than interferon alone and more effective than the standard combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin."

Anecdotally, my GI doc recommended I take fluvastatin (a.k.a. Lescol, by Abbott) in order to lower my slightly elevated lipid #'s and improve my liver tests.

A question for Willows, who said:

"I read a study like that also. But statins are killer-hard for your liver to take, so it's like one step forward, two steps back."

Willow, in light of the above, would you kindly elaborte your "statins are kller-hard" statement?

[crsrph]

statins have effects on ast and alt levels and must be monitored regulary statins have cautions for use in pts with impared hepatic function calling for decreased dosage and increased monitoring of liver function google lescol prescribing info . saw a more complete text of the study in sep AASLD (i think) note the lescol concentration they used to obtain these results 6.7 umol/l also note their own statement that 40 mg daily dose of lescol steady state would yeild .6 umol/l that requires a 11x increase over medium blood levels my 1st thought rhabdomyolysis high ast alt levels these thoughts didnt seem to raise any red flags to the experts so must be only in my mind