Abstract

Comparative efficacy of daily versus alternate-day dosing of atorvastatin in Type 2 diabetic patients

Author(s): Molouk Hadjibabaie, Sanaz Vosough-Ghanbari, Mania Radfar, Kheirollah Gholami, Seyed Hamid Khoei, Manoochehr Nakhjavani, Manijeh Ahani and Mohammad Abdollahi

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of alternate-day dosing and once-daily dose regimens of atorvastatin reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in Type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: A prospective, randomized non-blinded controlled clinical trial was performed. A total of 40 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to receive atorvastatin 10 mg in an every- or alternate-day dosing regimen.

Results: A total of 34 patients correctly completed the study. After 8 weeks, LDL decreased by 28 and 36% in the alternate-day and every-day groups, respectively (p = 0.013). The target LDL goal was maintained in 33 and 68% of the patients in the alternate-day and every-day groups, respectively. None of the 34 patients had significant elevation of liver enzymes or creatine kinase and no patients had signs or symptoms of myopathy.

Conclusion: Alternate-day administration of atorvastatin has lower efficacy than the everyday regimen.