Tendon problems may be statin side effect

ROUEN, France, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- French researchers report drugs widely used to lower cholesterol may rarely result in tendon complications.

A study published in Arthritis Care & Research said that out of 4,597 side effects associated with statins during a 15-year period about 2 percent were attributed to tendon complications.

Researchers led by Catherine Noblet of Rouen University Hospital identified 96 cases of tendon complications from the French Pharmacovigilance database between 1990 and 2005 that were attributed to statins.

The researchers were able to link the tendon problems to statin use because symptoms appeared after the statins were started and improved when the statins were stopped.

"Our study suggests that regular tendon clinical examination may be required in statin-treated patients, particularly during the first year following statin therapy initiation," the study authors said in a statement.

Tendon conditions -- including tendonitis and tendon rupture -- usually occurred within eight months of beginning statin therapy. The most common tendon affected was the Achilles tendon, with pain, swelling, warmth and stiffness the most common symptoms.

Seventeen of the patients had symptoms severe enough to warrant hospitalization.