EFFECTS OF SYSTEMIC TREATMENT WITH STATINS ON SKIN BARRIER FUNCTION AND STRATUM-CORNEUM WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY

Background: Topical application of inhibitors of HMGCoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, has been shown to indu ce impairment of barrier function, Objective: Assessing whether oral a dministration of statins used for reducing blood levels of cholesterol induces functional changes in stratum corneum barrier, Materials and Methods: 69 subjects of both sexes undergoing treatment for hyperchole sterolemia (mean age 48 +/- 11 years) entered the study; 43 had been t reated with simvastatin and 11 with pravastatin for 6 months; 15 only on dietary regimen served as controls, Efficiency of stratum corneum w ater barrier was evaluated by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measure ment using an evaporimeter; water-holding capacity of the stratum corn eum was assessed by the sorption-desorption test measured by capacitan ce, Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, Results: No differ ences were found between the groups (simvastatin, pravastatin, diet) c oncerning both basal TEWL and the dynamic of water binding in the stra tum corneum, Conclusions: Prolonged treatment with cholesterol-lowerin g drugs based on inhibition of HMGCoA reductase does not alter the per meability barrier of the skin.