Statins, a drug used to lower bad cholesterol levels, are believed to be effective in slowing the progression of certain forms of multiple sclerosis(SEP) according to the results of a scientific study published in the specialist journal The Lancet.
Researchers at University College London Hospitals conducted a double-blind study (neither doctors nor patients knew the makeup of their treatment) with 140 participants at 3 neuroscience centers in the UK. Patients aged 18 to 65 had secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease for which no satisfactory treatment currently exists. They received either a placebo treatment or 80 mg of simvastatin. “Simvastatin (statin) which is widely used for the treatment of vascular disease has immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties which could make it a candidate drug for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis” states co-author Dr. Jeremy Chataway. study.
Statins reduce brain atrophy
“In the progressive phase of MS the brain shrinks by around 0.6% per year. Our main measure of success was to reduce the rate of brain atrophy, ”says Dr Jeremy Chataway of University College London Hospitals, who led the study. “The objective was reached since with statins, the atrophy was only of the order of 0.3%, ie a reduction of 43%”.
Despite the conclusive results, the researchers point out that it is necessary to continue research on a larger number of controls to validate the efficacy and safety of this treatment.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects between 70,000 and 90,000 people in France. Each year between 3000 and 5000 new cases are diagnosed, with a clear predominance in women. Difficulty in walking, fatigue, weakness in the limbs, chronic pain are some of the symptoms of the disease.
