Comparison of intermittent with continuous simvastatin treatment in hypercholesterolemic patients with end stage renal failure.

Coronary artery disease is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal failure (RF). Hypercholesterolemia is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease. Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) have difficulties in compliance with their care and treatment. Intermittent simvastatin treatment may help to increase compliance and can be a treatment alternative in patients with CRF at risk of coronary artery disease. We investigated the effects of simvastatin and compared intermittent with continuous simvastatin treatment in hypercholesterolamic patients with CRF. The study group included 40 of 422 CRF patients on dialysis in our clinic. The inclusion criterion was low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of 130 mg/dL or more. Twenty patients received simvastatin 10 mg/day (continuous group) and 20 patients received simvastatin 20 mg three times a week (only dialysis days- intermittent group) for four months. Nineteen patients served as controls and they were given a prescribed diet only. Total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-C decreased markedly in patients receiving intermittent and continuous simvastatin compared to controls. Continuous simvastatin decreased TC by 23% (P < 0.001) and LDL-C by 39% (P < 0.001). Intermittent simvastatin decreased TC by 26% (P < 0.001) and LDL-C by 40% (P < 0.001). The atherogenic index ratios in both the continuous and intermittent groups (TC/High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and LDL-C/HDL-C) decreased significantly. There was no significant difference in patient compliance between the two groups. Intermittent simvastatin is as effective and reliable as continuous simvastatin treatment and can be an alternative treatment in hypercholesterolemic patients on dialysis.