Musculoskeletal manifestations in patients with hypercholesterolemia

Musculoskeletal symptoms were assessed in 33 patients with familial and 36 patients with nonfamilial type IIa hypercholesterolemia and compared to 33 healthy controls. Significant joint pain was reported by 47.8% of the patients with hypercholesterolemia vs 25.8% of the control group. Pain in the hyperlipidemic patients was significantly more prevalent in ankles and feet compared to the control group. The pain was not due to local effects of xanthoma, and was not accompanied by symptoms of inflammation or systemic rheumatic symptoms such as morning stiffness.