Statin-Associated Autoimmune Myopathy
Three articles on PainSci cite Mammen 2016: 1. The Complete Guide to Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain 2. 35 Surprising Causes of Pain 3. Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements for Pain & Healing

PainSci notes on Mammen 2016:
A good review of the phenomenon of muscle pain caused by statins, the popular and important drugs we take to lower cholesterol. For more information, see Dr. Harriet Hall’s reporting on the paper, or my summary of the issue in 35 Surprising Causes of Pain.
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
Statins are widely used and lower the risk of death from cardiovascular causes. In a fraction of patients, an autoimmune myopathy may develop, characterized by the development of autoantibodies to the target enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase.
related content
- “Statin Therapy: Risks vs Benefit: An Expert Interview With Eliot A. Brinton, MD,” Linda Brookes, Medscape CME.
- “Effects of Statins on Skeletal Muscle: A Perspective for Physical Therapists,” Stephanie L Di Stasi, Toran D Macleod, Joshua D Winters, and Stuart A Binder-Macleod, Physical Therapy, 2010.
- “A systematic review of statin-induced muscle problems in clinical trials,” Harsha V Ganga, Hanna B Slim, and Paul D Thompson, Am Heart J, 2014.
Specifically regarding Mammen 2016:
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
- Association of Lumbar MRI Findings with Current and Future Back Pain in a Population-based Cohort Study. Kasch 2022 Spine (Phila Pa 1976).
- A double-blinded randomised controlled study of the value of sequential intravenous and oral magnesium therapy in patients with chronic low back pain with a neuropathic component. Yousef 2013 Anaesthesia.
- Is Neck Posture Subgroup in Late Adolescence a Risk Factor for Persistent Neck Pain in Young Adults? A Prospective Study. Richards 2021 Phys Ther.
- Sudden amnesia resulting in pain relief: the relationship between memory and pain. Choi 2007 Pain.
- Photobiomodulation therapy is not better than placebo in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Guimarães 2021 Pain.