Effects of systemic treatment with statins on skin barrier function and stratum corneum water-holding capacity

Topical application of inhibitors of HMGCoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, has been shown to induce impairment of barrier function.

Assessing whether oral administration of statins used for reducing blood levels of cholesterol induces functional changes in stratum corneum barrier.

69 subjects of both sexes under-going treatment for hypercholesterolemia (mean age 48 +/- 11 years) entered the study; 43 had been treated with simvastatin and 11 with pravastatin for 6 months; 15 only on dietary regimen served as controls. Efficiency of stratum corneum water barrier was evaluated by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement using an evaporimeter; water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum was assessed by the sorption-desorption test measured by capacitance. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA.

No differences were found between the groups (simvastatin, pravastatin, diet) concerning both basal TEWL and the dynamic of water binding in the stratum corneum.

Prolonged treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs based on inhibition of HMGCoA reductase does not alter the permeability barrier of the skin.