Link:

http://www.theheart.org/viewArticle.do?primaryKey=406885&nl_id=tho29mar05

I don't recall other studies showing this, though it has often been discussed.

Bill

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Coenzyme Q10 improves myopathic pain in statin-treated patients

     Mar 22, 2005  Michael O'Riordan

Orlando, FL - Thirty-day coenzyme Q10 supplementation in statin-treated
patients with myopathic symptoms results in a significant reduction in
myopathic pain, according to the results of a recent study. The addition of
coenzyme Q10 may represent a supplemental treatment to improve muscle-related
side effects associated with statin use in certain patients, say
investigators.

"We're trying to address a very important clinical questionthat is, what do we
do with these patients who are on statins and develop side effects?" Dr
Patricia Kelly (University Hospital Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY) told
heartwire. "There are some solutions, such as taking the patient off the drug,
switching statins, or adjusting the dose, but we often see lipid levels rise
when this happens. We're looking for an alternative to reducing the symptoms
of myopathy associated with statin use that would retain the beneficial
effects of cholesterol lowering."

In this small double-blind study, presented earlier this month at the American
College of Cardiology 2005 Scientific Sessions, researchers randomized 41
statin-treated patients with myopathic pain to 30 days of supplementation with
400 IU of vitamin E or 100 mg daily of coenzyme Q10. Baseline demographic and
clinical parameters, including plasma lipid levels and creatine phosphokinase
levels, were similar in both treatment groups.

Using a validated pain questionnaire from the University of Wisconsin,
researchers report that myopathic pain significantly improved from baseline in
patients treated with coenzyme Q10 (6.2 vs 3.1; p<0.001), whereas myopathic
symptoms did not improve in patients randomized to vitamin-E supplementation.
Overall, 18 of 21 patients taking coenzyme Q10 had improved pain scores
compared with just three patients taking vitamin E. Creatine phosphokinase
levels did not change with treatment and did not correlate with the severity
of pain. LDL cholesterol levels were unchanged in both treatment groups.

"The incidence of myalgias in clinical trials is typically very low, but we
know that it is often higher in practice," said Kelly. "Coenzyme Q10 allows
clinicians to address the significant pain some patients experience when
treated with statins while keeping them on the drug and keeping their
cholesterol levels in check."

Kelly said next steps involve studies that obtain muscle biopsies, as well as
serum and mitochondrial measurements of coenzyme Q10. In this study, due to
the small numbers, the benefit of coenzyme Q10 on improving pain was not
stratified by statin type or dose. It is hoped that larger, future studies
will evaluate levels of pain reduction with coenzyme Q10 in different statins
and different doses, she said.