Effect of fluvastatin on proteinuria in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy

3-Hpdroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors are es tablished drugs for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, but several stud ies have shown that benefits obtained with these drugs are not causally rel ated only to regression of cholesterol lowering. Moreover, in experimental models of progressive renal disease, statins have reduced the extent of glo merulosclerosis, This study evaluated the antiproteinuric effect of a daily dose of 40 mg fluvastatin for 6 months in moderately proteinuric patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy, stable renal function, and no indicators of poor long-term prognosis, The effects of therapy were evaluated on the basis of 24-hour proteinuria (total proteinuria and alburninuria), albumine mia, creatinine clearance, cholesterol, and triglyceride values. Renal func tion remained stable in all patients. A significant decrease in proteinuria was observed after 6 months of therapy and persisted for all the observati ons, An increase in serum albumin was observed after 6 months of therapy. T his study suggests that there is an antiproteinuric effect of HMG-CoA reduc tase inhibitors in moderately proteinuric patients with immunoglobulin A ne phropathy.