Skin Cholesterol and Statins

A total of 129 patients were tested with PREVU* Point of Care (POC) Skin Sterol Test at baseline and again at follow-up visits six weeks and six months after the start of the study. Patients also underwent blood cholesterol testing. Patients were categorized in three groups: patients taking 40 mg of simvastatin; patients taking 20 mg of atorvastatin; and a control group of patients who did not receive lipid-lowering treatment. Over the course of the study, patients treated with statins experienced decreases in skin cholesterol values as well as in blood cholesterol. The skin cholesterol levels of patients in the control group increased nominally from baseline to the six-week follow-up visit and subsequently declined. This preliminary, independent study presents some interesting data about the impact of certain cholesterol-lowering medications on skin cholesterol values. The initial data show that skin cholesterol may be a useful monitoring tool for patients taking statins.