Red Yeast Rice Comparable to Pravastatin in Statin-Intolerant Patients
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Red yeast rice may be an acceptable alternative to statin therapy in patients with statin-associated myalgia (SAM), based on the results of a randomized, double-blind trial published in the January 15, 2010 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
The primary goal of the 12-week study was to compare the effect of red yeast rice versus pravastatin on the rate of myalgia recurrence in subjects with a history of SAM. A total of 43 adults with dyslipidemia and a history of statin discontinuation because of myalgia were randomly assigned to treatment with red yeast rice 2,400 mg twice daily or pravastatin 20 mg twice daily, in conjunction with therapeutic lifestyle changes.
The incidence of withdrawal from medication owing to myalgia was low in both treatment groups (1 of 21 patients treated with red yeast rice group vs 2 of 22 patients treated with pravastatin). Linear regression models adjusted for baseline lipoprotein measure and body mass index revealed no significant differences between the two groups in mean LDL cholesterol (−10.7 mg/dL; 95% CI, −27.2 to 5.7) total cholesterol (−9.6 mg/dL; 95% CI, −25.9 to 6.6), triglycerides (0.5 mg/dL; 95% CI, −21.2 to 22.3), or HDL cholesterol (−2.5 mg/dL; 95% CI, −5.7 to 0.63). LDL cholesterol levels decreased by a mean of 30% in the red yeast rice group and 27% in the pravastatin group.
Am J Cardiol. 2010;105:198-204.